Total Drama: Brains vs Brawn vs Beauty
by VintageMadame
Summary: This season, on Total Drama: Chris McLean brings back 21 campers that are ready to compete once again for the million dollars. This time, the campers are divided into three teams based on their intelligence, athleticism, or commitment to beauty. There'll be action! There'll be romance! There'll be embarrassment! And at the end of it all, there'll be one winner.
1. Introduction

**Hi everyone, VintageMadame here! As you can see I'm a huge Total Drama fan and am excited to write a new All-Stars fan fiction, this one being Brain vs. Brawn vs. Beauty!**

 **If you watch Total Drama you probably know that each season has two winners. For this fic to work there needs to be a definitive winner for each season, as some decisions are determined by it. So here is the "official winners" in this book's universe:**  
 **Total Drama Island- Owen**  
 **Total Drama Action- Beth**  
 **Total Drama World Tour- Heather**  
 **Total Drama ROTI- Cameron**  
 **Total Drama All Stars- Zoey**  
 **Total Drama PI- Shawn**

 ***I do NOT own Total Drama or any of the characters in this story.**


	2. Nerds, Jocks, and Beauties, Oh My! Pt 1

The shot opens to the now reconstructed Pahkitew Island. The camera zooms closer into the Dock of Shame, where three men in suits are standing slightly off-center. Soon enough, the one and only Chris McLean walks to the middle and, after a slight nod of approval is given by the suited men, begins to speak to the camera.

"Welcome, to the newest Total Drama All-Stars!" Chris announces to the screen. "After two years off the air dealing with 'legal disputes'," he says as the camera quickly pans to the three men. "And a successful sequel with a far less attractive host," he continues as he holds up a picture of Don with a big red 'X' across his face, "I have finally been given the green light to continue with the Total Drama series, now more " _fun_ " and " _safe_ " then _ever before._ " Chris made sure to lay the heavy sarcasm on the words 'fun' and 'safe'. The lawyers look at each other, give another nod of approval, and promptly leave on the nearest motor boat. Chris waves a friendly goodbye to them all before turning back to the camera.

After a deep breath, he continues his speech. "And now that the lawyers are gone, the fun for _me_ really begins! This season, I'll be bringing back 21 familiar faces in the most _brutal, dramatic,_ and _unpredictable_ competitions ever! There'll be action, there'll be romance, and most importantly, backstabbing! It's gonna be hell for the campers, which means even more entertainment for me!" Chris chuckles as he says this last bit. "21 all-stars will begin this journey, but only one will outlast them all to claim the million dollar prize! And here they are... now!"

The camera now turns to the left side of the dock to show a huge cruise ship coming into port. A close up reveals Chef at the front next to a huge cannon. Campers are nearby Chef on the ship, already terrified with how this is gonna end.

Chris just laughs at their clearly disgruntled faces. "From the first generation cast, we have... our original diva, Leshawna!"

And with that, Chef grabs Leshawna and places her in the cannon. He lights the fuse and she goes hurling towards the beach, but not without shouting "Oh hell no, McLean!" Amazingly enough she lands safely in the sand.

Chris merely continues on, "and her kinda- sorta- boyfriend, Harold!"

Harold didn't even need Chef to put him in the cannon , he eagerly went in himself. Chef, although confused, lights the fuse. Harold shouts "I'm coming to save you Leshawna!" as he goes flying to her. But instead of hitting the sand, he hits a palm tree next to her.

 ***Confessional-Harold***  
"Get ready to see a season of me and my mad skills as I finally win over the fair maiden Leshawna- uh, and the money too!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Speaking of which, here _without_ the two former members of her infamous love triangle, it's Miss C.I.T. herself, Courtney!"

Courtney flies over Chris in a rather graceful pose, and promptly lands not-so-gracefully onto the beach. "Oh, come on!" she shouts, earring giggles from Harold and Leshawna.

"Next up is two of the most loved contestants of Total Drama Island, the lovable idiot, Lindsay!"

Lindsay is shown in the air smiling, even saying "oh, it's just like a bird-".

Chris interjects "and mama's boy, DJ!"

DJ, being much bigger, goes flying into Lindsay. When they both land on the beach, he helps her up and apologizes. Lindsay smiles again.

The host rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, they're nice. But here's one of _my_ favorites, Eva, to ruin that!"

As DJ and Lindsay are brushing themselves off, Eva crashes into them. Instead of apologizing, she growls, which scares her two competitors.

 ***Confessional- Lindsay***  
"Well I see Evelyn hasn't changed much since her last time playing."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

After laughing at the scene before them, Chris continues. "And finally, the last from the first generation, eye-candy Justin!"

Justin is covering his face as he lands in hopes of protecting it. When he hits the ground, Leshawna and Lindsay rush to help him get up.

"And now, for the second generation cast! Starting off is the unexpected winner of Revenge of the Island, bubble-boy Cameron!"

Cameron is shown flying at a much faster rate due to his short stature. He goes flying past everyone, and lands with a loud thud. The other contestants look concerned until they hear a faint "I'm okay!" in the distance.

McLean just rolls his eyes. " _Moving on,_ returning after a mediocre performance on Revenge of the Island _,_ Brick the Cadet!"

Brick is shown flying, looking terrified as ever.

"Following is his worst nightmare Jo the Jock!"

Jo follows right behind him, growling as she lands in the sand.

"Next up is Anne Maria and her poof of steel!"

Like Justin, Anne Maria covers her face while she's in the air. She lands on her hair, which makes a hard "CLANK" sound, and doesn't even make a dent in her poof.

 ***Confessional- Anne Maria***  
"Now THAT'S extra paddin' for ya!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

McLean giggles before continuing. "From second place on Revenge of the Island to second out in the first All Stars, it's Lightning!"

Lightning flies over McLean like Superman, only to land clumsily besides Jo. He has stars spinning around his head as he lets out a disoriented " _Sha-bang_ ".

"Now we have animal-whisperer Dawn!"

Dawn, looking calm as ever, is gently brought to the beach by an oversized pelican. After everything they've seen on Total Drama, no one is phased by this.

"And the last of the second generation, it's Silent B!"

B, still in the ship, licks his finger and sticks it in the air. He then adjusts the cannon a tad, and gets in for Chef to light. He lands in the sand the most comfortably of all the players so far.

 ***Confessional- B***  
B puts a thumbs up.  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"From our most recent season, the third generation cast that is Pahkitew Island! First up is the first placer, Shawn!"

Shawn lands in a tree. As he struggles to get out, he gets stuck in a mess of vines. He decides to just hang there, clearly annoyed.

"Following him is the Australian Amazon, Jasmine!"

Jasmine lands on the beach. She rushes over to Shawn and helps him out of the vines.

"Don't let her name deceive you, it's not-so-sweet Sugar!"

Sugar screams a "WOO-HOO!" as she lands on the beach, looking more excited and confident than anything.

"He seems to fail on every show he's in, it's our resident wizard, Leonard!"

While in the air, Leonard shouts "Landus, comfortableas!" and waves his wand. Sugar runs to him and catches him in her arms.

 ***Confessional- Leonard***  
"I knew my magic would be successful! Yep, no doubts whatsoever!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"What?! Of course I'm gonna help the wizard! I made it to the final three last time, imagine what will happen when I have magic on my side!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

McLean rolls his eyes at Sugar and Leonard. "If that was anyone else in the world, that would've been adorable. But since it's you two, I'll just move on... She chose the money over a crazy dude, and still only got second place! Without further ado, it's runner-up Sky!"

Sky does a flip in the air and lands in a gymnast's pose. Jo can't help but notice Lightning looks at Sky _admirably_.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Lightning still gonna demand to be on a team of one, but if he _has_ to be on a team, he wouldn't mind being with the gymnast girl. That's it though!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"She's crazier than me... or anyone, it's the psychopathic Scarlett!"

A majority of the cast is visibly terrified as Scarlett lands on the beach. The Pahkitew Island cast is especially so.

 ***Confessional-Shawn***  
"Why-"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional-Sky***  
"the-"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional-Sugar***  
"Fuck!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Is SCARLETT here?! She almost killed us! This is wrong on so many levels!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"And last, but CERTAINLY least, is the wannabe-me, Topher..."

Topher flashes a smile and wink to the camera as he flies overhead, only to crash just as embarrassingly as the other contestants.

Chris laughs at his embarrassment, probably more than he should. He looks at the disheveled contestants for a moment more before beginning his big introduction to them.

"Welcome to our Seventh Season of Total Drama! We have assembled 21 of the most memorable contestants who couldn't get out of their contracts, or weren't stuck in juvie! Much of what we know and love about the show remains the same. Each week teams will be compete against each other to be safe from our campfire-style elimination. The losing team will vote one of their own off. Contestants can still tell us their most private thoughts in the newly renovated Outhouse Confessional, which I see you chatter boxes have already used quite liberally _._ As for location, we are again competing on Pahkitew Island. After a few mishaps ( _camera quickly pans to a close up of Scarlett, who glares right back at it_ ) from last season, I can say that although the island is artificial, it is no longer remote controlled for one of you more intelligent folk to take it over."

The first and second generation casts look confused, while all of the third generation looks relieved, save for Sugar (who looks disappointed) and Scarlett (who rolls her eyes).

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Shoot! I was hoping that'd be _my_ strategy this time around! Well, better start thinking of something else!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris continues on with his speech. "I guess all that's left now is to divide you up into teams. So this season it's going to-"

Jasmine interrupts at this part. "Excuse me Chris, but I think it'd be wise for the final four of last season to _not_ be placed with Scarlett, considering she almost killed us! Which you seem to have forgotten!"

Sugar, Sky, and Shawn all nod their heads in agreement. Scarlett glares at them once more.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"You try to take over an island ONE TIME and they never let you live it down! They really need to get over their issues, since at least one of them is _bound_ to be on a team with me."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"I didn't watch that last season, so I'm not sure what they're talking about. I'm starting to regret that decision now. I need to get some info on this new cast ASAP."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Brick***  
"Of course I've watched all the seasons! You have to research your teammates and fellow competitors if you want to get ahead! That being said, I definitely don't want someone like Scarlett on my team, she's not a team player! I'm gonna win this thing this time, and I'm gonna do it while sticking to the cadet code!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris is getting visibly annoyed by these interruptions. "That's too bad Jasmine, because the teams have already been chosen. Now, as I was saying... instead of the usual two teams, there will be _three_! And they have a theme... Brains, Brawn, and Beauty! As I call your name, you will be placed on either the Brains, Brawn, and Beauty team depending on your particular skill-set "

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"As the mastermind of last season, I'm sure to be on the Brains team! I'll be running the game in no time!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"As the mastermind of last season, I'm sure to be on the Brains team. I'll be running this game in no time."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Lindsay started jumping up and down in excitement. "Yeyy! Ooo Chris, can I be on the Bronze team? I look great in jewelry!"

Dawn whispered to her "No Lindsay, he said _Brawn,_ which means athletic."

Lindsay just looked confused now, "Ohhhh...".

Chris rolled his eyes. " _And that_ is why you Lindsay, will be the first member of the Beauty Team."

After hearing this, Lindsay returned to excitement. "Oooo, that's even better!"

The host continued on. "Joining Lindsay will be Leshawna, Justin, Dawn, Anne Maria, Topher, and Sugar. Your team will be called the Beautiful Butterflies! Your official team color is purple"

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"I see a lot of narcissism in the majority of my teammates auras. That will have to change soon, or we will suffer great defeat!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Once the Beautiful Butterflies all stood next to each other, Chris spoke again. "Next up is Eva, DJ, Brick, Lightning, Jo, Sky, and Jasmine. Congratulations, you guys are the Brawny Beavers and red is your team color!"

Jo doesn't even pretend to be happy. "Are you fucking kidding me!?"

 ***Confessional- Jo***  
"Seriously!? This is the third time I'll be stuck on a team with Bright-ning! And Brick? He's not strong enough to be on the Brawn team, if anything he should be on Beauty... uh, you know- because he's so girly! Not cause he's hot- I mean, he's not hot, I mean, arghh!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Lightning also did not look pleased. "Oh come on! Why Lightning gotta be with Jo again?Lightning wanna be a team of one!"

Sky sighed loudly at the athlete's outburst. "Oh come on dude, it won't be that bad, our team is stacked!"

Lightning is about to reply brashly, but upon seeing the sincerity in Sky's face, can only stutter out "Um... yeah, okay. Thanks, umm..."

"Sky."

"Heh, yeah, Lightning knew that. Oh, um, the name's Lightning."

Sky can't help but chuckle a little at this. "Heh yeah, I got that already."

Jasmine looks weary at the scene. Apparently she's not the only one to notice though, since Eva shouts "Hey lovebirds! How about stop making googly eyes at each other and stay focused for the instructions!"

Sky blushes at Eva's remarks, "Right, uh sorry Eva! Misunderstanding there, I just spaced out!"

All Lightning can sputter out is "Sha-shut up dude! Wait, you _are_ a dude right?"

Jo laughs and this, and Eva just growls, ready to attack Lightning. Brick's preparing to break up the fight he's _sure_ will occur at any moment, while Jasmine looks on with concern.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"Overall I'm pretty confident with our team. Clearly we're going to the the most physically dominant. I'm glad to have a fresh start in this game, no romances to ruin it, despite what Eva thinks is going on!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"There's a lot of bad blood between all the Revenge of the Island members of the Brawn Team. Lightning seems to have already taken a liking to Sky, not sure if that's a good thing given both of their histories on the show. Either way, everyone's gonna have to make peace ASAP!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

After the Brawn team came together, Chris went on. "And finally, we have Courtney, Harold, Cameron, B, Scarlett, Shawn, and Leonard! Your team will henceforth be called the Brainy Beetles, and your color is yellow!"

No one was shocked when Courtney was the first to speak up. "Really? The _Brainy Beetles?!"_

Chris merely replied "We couldn't think of a more creative animal that started with a _B._ Nor did we care enough, so you're stuck with Beetle."

Courtney looked like she was about to say something else, but instead took a deep breath and just said "Alright, _fine._ "

Shawn and Cameron cowered around B, looking equally terrified.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"When I was competing in the past, I was my own worst enemy. I got in my own head and was too fixated on everything going on with Duncan and Gwen. But this time, neither of them are here. Now I have the chance to focus on my strengths and redeem myself. Maybe now I'll actually have a shot at the million."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Shawn***  
"Considering Scarlett almost killed me last time we competed together, you could say I'm a bit terrified of her. Courtney is also really scary. Cameron seems to be just as scared as I am, and B doesn't talk, so I think I'm gonna hang out with them. Kinda wishing I was put on Brawn with Jasmine- ( _Cue to a clip of Lightning, Brick, Jo, and Eva all shouting at each other. After a few seconds, we're back at Shawn's confessional_.) Yeah, you know what, Brain's good.  
 ***Confessional Ends***

As the last team forms, Chris speaks again. "Now that we've all gotten into our teams, we will begin our first challenge!"

Pretty much every contestant groans at this.

Chris just ignores them to continue. "Anyway, I hope everyone brought a bathing suit, because our first challenge may be a _tad_ familiar to those who competed on Total Drama Island!"

All the first season contestants paled in fear, but none more than Lindsay, DJ, and Courtney.

 ***Confessional- Lindsay***  
"Uh-uh! If it's what I think it is, there's no wayyy am I doing that!  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"He can't possibly make us all do that challenge again!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The camera pans to a shot of all 21 contestants, in their swimsuits, on top of a large diving cliff.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"FUCK!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris looks to the camera before his final announcement "Which team will make a big splash? And-"

Topher pops in to takeover "And which team will dive into failure? Find out-"

Chris pushes Topher back to his team, and finishes the line. "Find out next time, on Total Drama! Brains! Versus Brawn! Versus Beauty!"

Chris then turns to the contestants and speaks again "And Beauty Tribe, vote him off as soon as possible!"

 **•End of Episode One•**

 **So there it is, my first completed chapter of Total Drama: Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty! I'm so excited to begin this with you all, and I hope you enjoy the direction I take this story in!**

 **So there are 21 contestants, with 7 characters from each generation. I picked characters that fit their respective teams the best, and also weren't overused. Believe me, I'm a huge Heather fan, but I think her development on TD is good enough that I wouldn't want to ruin that, while people like Lindsay or Courtney still have a lot that can be worked with. Let me know what you think of the first chapter!**

 **Oh, and here is a layout of the teams! This will be updated with each elimination:**  
 **Brainy Beetles:** **B, Cameron, Courtney, Harold, Leonard, Scarlett, Shawn**

 **Brawny Beavers:** **Brick, DJ, Eva, Jasmine, Jo, Lightning, Sky**

 **Beautiful Butterflies:** **Anne Maria, Dawn, Justin, Leshawna, Lindsay, Sugar, Topher**


	3. Nerds, Jocks, and Beauties, Oh My! Pt 2

**Thank you to everyone who has read, commented, and favorited thus far! This next chapter is a continuation of the last one, and begins to solidify what friendships, relationships, and alliances** ** _may_** **form in this story. I would love to hear some feedback and ideas, so please let me know what you think!**

 **~VintageMadame**

* * *

 ** **Brainy Beetles: B, Cameron, Courtney, Harold, Leonard, Scarlett, Shawn****

 ** **Brawny Beavers: Brick, DJ, Eva, Jasmine, Jo, Lightning, Sky****

 ** **Beautiful Butterflies: Anne Maria, Dawn, Justin, Leshawna, Lindsay, Sugar, Topher****

* * *

 ** ***Last Episode Recap*****  
"Last time on Total Drama... we got an introduction to remember with 21 former campers returning to compete for the million! And with a new season comes a new theme; Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty! Some _(camera shows a shot of Lindsay)_ fit their team to a T, and some _(shows a shot of B, Shawn, and Cameron)_ already have new friendships and possible alliances starting to form. Others _(a clip of Jo, Lightning, Eva, and Brick all glaring at each other comes into view)_ will have a lot of um, _issues,_ to overcome. Who will thrive? And who will barely survive? It's time to find out now, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"  
 ** ***End Recap*****

* * *

The episode begins where the last one left off; with Chris, Chef, and all the campers at the top of the diving cliff. The campers are divided up with their teams and are standing in their respective lanes, waiting to hear instructions from Chris.

While most campers look reasonably scared for what's to come, some (Jo, Scarlett, and Lightning) look mildly annoyed/eager to begin the challenge, some (Sugar and Lindsay) look confused, and others (DJ, Cameron, and Courtney) look scared beyond comfort. Nonetheless, Chris begins to address the campers about the challenge.

"Our first challenge should look familiar, because it is reminiscent of the first ever challenge in Total Drama history- the cliff diving challenge! As you can see, we've divided this giant cliff into three lanes, marked by each teams' individual color. One-by-one, a member of each team will dive into the water 1,000ish or more feet below. Once you're down there, you will search the lake floor for a key, whose colors will also correspond with your team colors. So Brains will dive for yellow keys, Brawn will look for red ones, and Beauties find purple ones. Once you find a correct key you can swim to shore and unlock one of the seven locks to treasure chests that hold your teams' luxury camp supplies. When you've reached the shore, a new team member of yours can jump. When all of your team's locks are undone, you will race to the campsite on the other side of the island. The first team to reach camp with all their members wins invincibility and all the supplies. The second team to reach camp wins invincibility but no supplies. The last team to arrive receives nothing but a date with me at the campfire ceremony where they will vote off one of their own."

 ** ***Confessional- Jo*****  
"As much as I hate to admit it, our team has the clear advantage in this challenge. This is a physical challenge, and we're the physical team. Those beauty queens and nerds don't stand a chance. Especially with _me_ in charge."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Chris continues on with his speech. "Oh, and one more thing... there are seven keys for each team at the bottom of the lake, which means _everyone_ needs to jump. If one of your team members refuses, then one of your other team members will have to dive again. Any chicken that decides to not jump will also sit out the hike, leaving the rest of the team to carry the burden you left on them.

 ** ***Confessional- Leshawna*****  
"Aw hell no! Ain't no way any of Team Beauty isn't jumping today! I pushed a skinny white girl off the first time we did this challenge, and I'll happily do it again!"  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Chris looks at all the campers with his usual smirk. "You have five minutes to strategize with your team. Then the challenge will begin. Try not to screw your team over. Or do, whatever."

The Beautiful Butterflies, who are on the far right aisle of the cliff, look down the drop with varying degrees of confusion and horrified. They snap out of it when Leshawna begins to talk.

"Alright Beauties!" She announces to her team. "I did this challenge my first season, and my team won. I have no problem jumping, and no problem _pushing_ anyone that doesn't want to jump. So I jump last, and anyone that chickens out is gonna have to deal with me. Understood?"

The rest of the Beautiful Butterflies silently nod in agreement.

 ** ***Confessional- Lindsay*****  
"One of my favorite memories from Total Drama Island is when Lefonda threw Heidi off the cliff. If I stay on her good side this time, maybe we can go far together!"  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Justin*****  
"Yeah, the day I jump off that cliff again is the day my looks start to fade... which is _not today!_ But I'm not gonna tell Leshawna that... not while she's still able to throw me off the cliff that is."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

The camera now pans to the Brainy Beetles, who are on the far left aisle of the cliff. Most of them look scared, but Cameron and Courtney look especially so. Courtney has distanced herself from the rest of her team, sitting in fetal position. Cameron is with the rest of the team, focusing in on his fear until Shawn interrupts his thoughts.

"Hey man, you okay?" Shawn says.

Cameron smiles at this. "Yes, I will be, this cliff is just... intimidating. But I will persevere!"

Shawn smiles at this. "That's good dude, we're gonna need all the help we can get, cause I doubt Courtney's gonna jump."

Cameron looks over to Courtney and then nods sadly. "I would have to agree. I know she's not the nicest person but I still feel bad that she's this scared."

Scarlett, who overheard the entire conversation, smirks happily at their remarks.

 ** ***Confessional- Scarlett*****  
"History would indicate that Courtney will not be participating in this challenge. Given the minimal strength of this team, the likelihood of us losing is high. All I have to do is participate and perform adequately, and I'll be considered a more valuable teammate than at least one of them. Seeing that Courtney also doesn't have any strong social connections on the island, I'd say she should start packing her bags soon."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

The camera focuses in on Courtney, who is shown mumbling to herself. Upon closer inspection we hear her saying "You can do this, you got this!" over and over again.

 ** ***Confessional- Courtney*****  
"Everyone's already assuming that I won't jump because I didn't do it the first time we had this challenge! It's ridiculously annoying, but I'm going to show them all! Through the power of positive reinforcement, I will jump today... just not right at this moment."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Attention now focuses to the Brawn Team, all of whom are looking ready and focused. Well, everyone except DJ that is. Jo turns and faces them all before beginning to speak. "Alright, listen up Beavers! Despite some differences we all might have, one thing is certain... our team is clearly the most physically stacked. And from the looks of the other teams, there's no way all of those weaklings will jump. So as long as everyone participates, and I do mean _everyone_..." she emphasizes the last part as she looks towards DJ, "then victory will be ours. Any questions?"

Eva replies first. "Yeah, I have one. Who died and made you queen?"

Jo laughs at Eva's remark. "Well, certainly not the girl who went home _second_ in her only season, that for sure."

Eva growls at this, before Jasmine intervenes. "Stop it you two, we have a challenge to win! Eva's right, we don't need a team captain. But Jo is also right in saying that as long as we all jump, our team is golden. Let's just focus on the challenge at hand."

Chris coughs after Jasmine is done talking. "Well Jasmine, as much as I would have loved to see the brawl that was sure to break out, we do have a challenge to get to. So quit your yapping and get to jumping!"

Chef lets off a starting pistol, indicating that the challenge has begun. Sugar, terrified at the loud sound, begins running in the wrong direction, confusing the rest of the contestants.

Leshawna just sighs loudly and shouts "Hey Sugar! Run the _other way!_ "

Sugar obediently does a heel turn and starts running towards the cliff. As she runs towards the teams, she grabs Leonard and jumps in the Brainy Beetle's lane, but not without shouting "Protect me, Mr. Wizard!"

Leonard, screams " _Diveus Safeis_!" before he and Sugar land in the water, with Sugar using Leonard to soften her fall. Disoriented, Leonard spits out a yellow key.

Now Shawn interjects "Good job Leonard, you got a yellow key! Now swim to shore so the next person can jump!"

Leonard begins to process what just happened. "Huh? Did you say _good job?!_ Agh, no spell has made me half as happy as-"

"JUST SWIM TO SHORE!" Shawn shouts, and Leonard obeys. He swims quickly to shore with his key.

 ** ***Confessional- Leonard*****  
"I haven't gotten first in anything not LARP-ing related in years, possibly ever! Granted, it was the fair maiden Sugar's doing, but still, I got the first key! Perhaps my magic is stronger as a team... I suspect some alliances will be in order after this challenge."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Sugar then proudly shouts to her team, "How's that Beauties? Look a' me, I got da first jump!"

Before Leshawna explodes, Dawn shouts down to the beauty queen "That's great Sugar, now swim over to _our lane_ and grab a _purple key_! Then swim to shore when you're done!"

Sugar shouts "Yes mam!" and quickly does the required task.

After that occurrence, Chris begins to comment. "And now that that just happened, tell us what's the score Chef!"

Chef pulls up a flashy scoreboard divided into three sections. A yellow beetle, a red beaver, and a purple butterfly serve as the team logos. Chef announces "Well Chris, looks like it's 1 for the Beautiful Butterflies after Sugar's hilarious failed sense of direction, and 1 for the Brainy Beetles after Leonard, _literally,_ fell victim to Sugar's stupidity. And for all their talk, the Brawny Beavers have a big ole' goose egg and are in last place."

Jo and Eva both begin to turn red with anger at the words _last place_.

Jo shouts "BRICK!"

Brick salutes to Jo. "Yes captain?" he replies.

Eva interjects with a "Not our captain-"

To which Jo interrupts with a "HUSH! Brick the bed wetter, prove your worth and jump off the cliff quickly."

Brick quickly shouts "Yes captain!" before anyone can intervene. He dives down the cliff and grabs a key without a hitch, and quickly swims to shore.

Chris shouts, "And with that, the teams are tied up!"

Jasmine goes to stand next to Jo and says quietly "Why'd you have him dive first?"

Jo simply states "Because if I told him to I knew he wouldn't chicken out."

Jasmine smiles. "Huh, nice. You sure you don't just like telling him what to do?"

"WHAT?"

"Nothing, hon. You may want to dive next though, before anyone sees you blushing."

Jo says nothing, and instead quickly dives off the cliff to retrieve a key. Despite being flustered, she finds a red key quickly.

 ** ***Confessional- Jasmine*****  
"Hey, if I'm gonna be on this team, I might as well have fun with it. And it looks like Lightning may not be the only one on the Brawny Beavers with a crush."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Once Jo swims to shore, it's just her and Brick waiting for their team. Noticing Jo seems out of it, he attempts to make small talk.

"Jo, um... thank you."

"For what, Brick-for-brains?"

"For, uh, helping me? At least that's what I think you were doing, trying to motivate me? Well, I appreciate it, and I think we'll be good teammates this time around."

Jo begins to blush again and looks away from Brick. "Yeah, whatever. I'm just trying to be a good captain."

"You dived well too, ya know. I think you'll be hard to be beat. Hey Jo, are you okay? I think you're starting to get a little red."

"Brick?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

 ** ***Confessional- Brick*****  
"Is it weird to say you've missed the person you considered your biggest enemy the last time you played the game? I mean, I know Jo was a bully, but I feel like there's something between us that was left unfinished last season- I'm just gonna stop talking now."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

On the Brainy Beetles' side of the cliff, Scarlett steps forward and announces to her teammates, "Well everyone, I'll take the next turn. See if you can brighten up Courtney's spirits so she doesn't cost our team the win."

In the distance, the team hears Courtney shout, "Shut up, I'm gonna jump!"

To which Scarlett whispers to the rest of the team, "On second thought, leave her be. If we lose, we can get rid of the dead weight early." She then jumps.

 ** ***Confessional- Shawn*****  
"Okay, so I know Courtney may lose us the challenge, but Scarlett also tried to kill me and my girlfriend. But then again, I did win that season... I'll have to weigh the pros and cons of both before I cast a vote."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

On the Beautiful Butterflies' side, we see Justin pull Topher aside.

"Hey dude, I'm guessing you don't wanna jump either?" Justin whispers.

Topher lets out a sigh of relief at this. "Are you kidding? Of course not! The wave in my hair will _not_ hold up after that fall!"

"Glad you agree. Ya know, if we _both_ don't jump, they can't blame just one of us for the loss. And with our good looks, I'm sure we can convince them to vote off one of the women."

Topher smiles at Justin's suggestion. "I like the way you think...alliance?"

"It's like you've read my mind."

The two shake hands.

 ** ***Confessional- Justin*****  
"Getting Topher to not jump with me was easier than taking candy from a baby. Now the blame won't be placed only on me. As for getting one of the women out, I'm not _entirely_ sure that I can convince the women to vote for each other. But I _am_ entirely sure that I, being more attractive, will be safe if they're choosing between us two. So either way, I'm good."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Topher*****  
"Not even an hour into the challenge and I already have an alliance! Sounds like Topher learned something from last season huh? With my good looks and improved strategy, I bet they're already writing up my contract for a spin-off!"  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

The Brawny Beavers are having a much easier time deciding who will jump. After Jo's jump, Jasmine speaks up. "Okay mates, I say we have a solid order for when everyone's going. I can go next, then we should do Eva, DJ, Sky, and then Lightning to give us a strong finish. Sound good?"

Eva, unsurprisingly, is the first to speak up. "And why are you the next one to go? I'm just as strong as you are, _mate._ "

Jasmine just sighs. "You really wanna be stuck third wheeling Brick and Jo?"

"Fair point."

Now Jasmine smiles. "Just looking out for you mate." And with that, she dives in.

 ** ***Confessional- Eva*****  
"I told myself I wouldn't let my temper get the best of me this time around. I have to try and be nicer to my teammates, even if it kills me... which it very well might."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

As Jasmine dives, Shawn shouts from his side "Way to go Jasmine!"

He then turns to his team and says "I'm gonna dive now to catch up, good luck you guys, you can all do it!" And he dives without waiting to hear a response from his team.

Harold scoffs at Shawn's actions. "Pshh, he's so whipped!"

B looks puzzled at this, pointing from Harold to Leshawna on the other side of the cliff. He shrugs it off afterward.

By this time, Jasmine had retrieved a red key and is on the beach. She's giving some noticeable space to Jo and Brick as she waits for Shawn to reach shore.

At the top of the cliff, Eva turns to her team and starts to speak. "Alright team, I'm gonna go now. I should be pretty quick. You, um- you all set DJ?"

DJ just trembles some more on the ground and let's out a "eep!"

Sky goes to comfort DJ and turns to Eva. "Eva, jump now to give our team an edge. Lightning and I will try to comfort DJ."

Lighting lights up at Sky's words. "Uh, yeah! Lightning and Sky got this. So go!"

Eva just rolls her eyes and jumps while Sky and Lightning attempt to console DJ.

Meanwhile, B and Cameron are drawing something in the dirt with a stick. Cameron says "So B, you really think you can drop me at an angle that will leave me unharmed?"

B nods.

Cameron takes a deep breath. "Okay, might as well do it now... there's no way I'll jump on my own."

B just nods, picks Cameron up, and (after checking the wind) drops Cameron off the cliff. Just as B predicted, Cameron lands safely and quickly finds a key.

 ** ***Confessional- B*****  
 _B gives a thumbs up._  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Once Cameron is on land, B checks the wind again and jumps off himself, leaving Harold and Courtney at the top.

At the Beautitful Butterflies' lane, Leshawna is comforting Lindsay. "Come on girl, you got this. Don't think about it, just jump."

Lindsay tears up a little. "Lefonda, you promise I won't get hurt?"

Leshawna sighs. "Yes Lindsay. I'll see you when it's my turn to jump. Show them how it's done."

Lindsay lights up at this. "Okay! Thanks Lasharice, you're a great friend."

Leshawna shows a small smile at this. "You're welcome Lindsay. Oh, and it's Leshawna."

Lindsay laughs. "Oh, rightttt. Sorry Le-Leshawna. I'll try to remember." And then she takes her turn to dive.

Back at the Brawny Beavers, Sky tries to soothe DJ's worries. "Hey DJ, I know it's scary to overcome your fears, but I really think you can do it. Do you think you'll be able to jump? It'll really help the team out if you do."

Lightning interjects, trying to help. "Come on dude, man up! Our team's counting on you! You don't want Lightning to call you a chicken all season, do you?"

Sky interrupts Lightning's 'pep talk'. "Stop Lightning! That's not helpful at al! He's your teammate and he's scared, try to be more compassionate!"

Lightning replies "Sha-wha?"

Sky looks to the camera, unamused.

 ** ***Confessional- Sky*****  
"Okay, so I know Lightning's been a bit arrogant in the past, but he's been so nice today. At least, until he tried to help DJ. Maybe he hasn't changed after all."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

The camera's back to Lightning and Sky's conversation. "Try to comfort him. Be nice! We don't want him to feel bad."

Lightning thinks it over for a second before saying "Oh, um... sha-kay."

Lightning then says to DJ "Hey man, Lightning thinks we can still win this thing even if you don't jump. Lightning don't mind diving again, cause he's so good at swimming, and Jo probably wanna show off again cause she's Jo."

DJ smiles and says "Thanks man."

Lighting replies "Sha-welcome". He then turns to Sky and says "Sha-better?"

Sky smiles a little and says "Heh, yeah. Still a little cocky, but better."

 ** ***Confessional- Sky*****  
"Okay, so he's trying at least, which is kind of sweet... for the sake of the team of course."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Lightning and Sky remain smiling at each other until they hear Eva screech a "woo-hoo!"

Once the two break their stare, Sky says "Whoops! Um, Eva's done. My turn! I'll let the team know we may need to someone to go again, but I still think you can do it DJ. Good luck! Um, you too Lightning."

She then dives, leaving the two men standing at the top. DJ smirks knowingly at Lightning and says "You like her, don't you man?"

Lightning scoffs. "Sha-no dude! Lightning's all about winning and that's it."

DJ just says "Uh-huh, sure."

 ** ***Confessional- Lightning*****  
"There is no way Lightning's gonna sacrifice his win for a girl! Even if she is pretty and talented and good at sports and... sha-forget it!"  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- DJ*****  
"Yeah, he likes her."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

At the Beautiful Butterflies' lane, Leshawna is having a heated argument with Anne Maria.

"You have to jump!" Leshawna shouts.

"Not at the expense of my looks!" Anne Maria replies.

"News flash Jersey girl, good looks don't wash off in water!" Leshawna shouts back.

Anne Maria looks like she's about to attack Leshawna, but then Topher interjects. "Ya know, I actually agree with Anne Maria. I mean, we are the beautiful tribe, we can't throw all that away!"

Leshawna yells back "What the hell? Don't you all want to win?!"

Justin steps up now. "Why, yes we do. And you seem eager to jump, so you should go ahead." And with that, he pushes Leshawna off the cliff.

As Leshawna falls, Dawn looks bewildered, Topher and Justin look satisfied, and Anne Maria laughs hard.

When Leshawna lands in the water, she shouts back at her team "God dammnit Justin!"

 ** ***Confessional- Leshawna*****  
"Those no-good pretty boys think that this is the end of what just happened, but that's FAR from the truth. Mark my words, Justin and Topher will be out before Anne Maria runs out of hairspray."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Back at the top of the cliff, Dawn yells at Justin and Topher. "What was that about? You made your teammate mad and it's a team challenge!"

Topher says back "Simple, we don't wanna jump."

Dawn just looks angrier. "Well, what happens when we lose because of you?"

Justin replies for this one. "We vote out Leshawna. Come on Dawn, we have the numbers."

Anne Maria jumps in now. "As much as I love all the drama, I'm gonna jump now."

Topher looks confused and says "Um, weren't you just arguing with Leshawna about how you didn't want to jump?"

Anne Maria says "Yeah, but that's just cause I don't like her telling me what to do. I still wanna win." And with that, she jumps.

 ** ***Confessional- Anne Maria*****  
"Oh come on, you really think I'm dumb enough to screw myself out of the million again? I just didn't like that Leshawna girl yellin' at me. But I'm sure she'll get over it considerin' how her other teammates pushed her off a cliff."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

On the Brainy Beetles side, Harold walks up to Courtney, who has barely moved since the challenge started. He reaches his hand out to comfort her, but then thinks otherwise. He then says "So, I'm gonna go now and comfort Leshawna. I'm sure she'll want to feel the warm embrace of a real man since the only two on her team betrayed her."

Courtney looks up at Harold. Her eyes are red and her cheeks are stained from tears. Harold looks grossed out. "Uh, gawd! You look awful!"

"Shut up Harold."

"I'm just gonna tell them to send someone up to dive for you. You're obviously gonna not gonna do the challenge."

His comments make Courtney stand up in anger. "I said shut up Harold. Go save your princess."

"I will, and I'll be safe from the vote. Can't say the same for you."

And with that, Courtney picks Harold up and throws him over the cliff. As he falls, she shouts "Screw you Harold!" Afterwards, she starts to cry again.

 ** ***Confessional- Courtney*****  
"Look, I know I shouldn't have thrown Harold off the cliff, but he was being an ass! It's hard to grow as a person when your teammate is being a douche!"  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

The two men left on the Brawny Beavers seem to be bickering, but on closer inspection we see Lightning attempting to be comforting again.

"Come on man, Lightning says you can do it!"

"No way dude, I'll do anything else, but not this."

"Sha- do it!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Fine! Lightning gonna jump now, you have until then to get over it!" As he jumps in, he yells "Sha-boo yah!"

As the last members of the Brains and Brawn teams contemplate their next move, Dawn addresses Justin and Topher. "So, you're definitely not going to jump?"

Justin and Topher shake their heads no simultaneously.

"Fine, the rest of our team will complete the challenge. But by the looks of your auras, I can tell you that you will regret this."

She dives before they can reply.

With the two men refusing to dive, all the focus is now on Courtney and DJ. They both look at each other, petrified. DJ decides to approach Courtney first.

"Hey Courtney."

Courtney just looks at him.

"Remember how last time we did this, neither of us jumped?"

Courtney looks down at the ground. "Yes DJ, I remember. And now it's going to happen again!"

The rest of the campers at the beach are looking up at the cliff. Scarlett addresses her team first. "Well Brains, looks like we'll need someone else to go again. Don't worry, I'll head up."

Once Scarlett starts heading back up the cliff, Jo rolls her eyes and says "Does anyone think the mama's boy is going to jump?"

None of the Brawny Beavers respond.

Jo continues. "No? Now, does anyone care if I go up to jump?"

Again, no one responds. Jo smiles and says "Good. See Brick, I _can_ be a team player."

Right before Jo starts to leave, Dawn swims up to shore. "Topher and Justin won't jump, we need two of us to go again."

Lindsay interjects. "Leshawna and I will go!" She grabs Leshawna's hand and pulls her towards the hill.

Back at the top, DJ and Courtney notice that Jo and Scarlett are heading up to take their place.

Courtney speaks up first. "Looks like we're covered now. At least the Beauty team has two people that need to dive again."

After a moment of pure silence, DJ looks at her and says "Courtney, what if we prove them wrong?"

"Huh?"

He holds out his hand to her. "What if we jump?"

Courtney just stares at his hand. "DJ, come on. Be serious."

"I am serious. I'll jump if you jump."

She thinks about it for a second, and then grabs his hand. "Deal."

And with that, they both jump. As soon as they begin to fall, the panic sets in and the two hold onto each other.

"MAMA!" DJ screams.

"HOLY SHIT!" Courtney yells.

They continue to scream until they hit the water. When they resurface, they're still holding onto each other until they realize they've landed safely.

"Thank you DJ! Thank you thank you thank you!" Courtney says.

"You too Courtney. We did great."

"Let's never do anything like that again."

"Agreed. Wanna help each other find our keys?"

"You know what? Yes. I think I saw a red key when we were underwater. And DJ?"

"Yes?"

"Friends?"

"Yeah, friends."

 ** ***Confessional- Courtney*****  
"Overcoming my fear of jumping off the cliff was purely strategic. But I must admit, bonding with DJ was purely personal. It feels good to have a friend again, even if he's on the other team.  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

The two find the keys easily and swim to shore. DJ runs to the Brawns team and shouts "I have the last key!"

Courtney runs to the Brains and just screams "HURRY!"

Lindsay and Leshawna are still atop the cliff.

"Oh my god, we'll never finish in time!" Lindsay whines.

Leshawna just laughs. "Don't worry girl, I got this. HEY HAROLD!"

As the Brainy Beetles are undoing the locks, Harold runs closer to the cliff and shouts "Leshawna, my queen!"

"Do you mind finding a towel for me for after my dive? I'll need a manly man to dry me off when I get out of the water!"

"Yes beautiful!" Harold says. As he runs off, Shawn shouts out "Harold, get back here!"

By this time, the Brawny Beavers are finished with their locks. They begin to pick up all the luxury supplies with DJ, Lightning, and Jasmine carrying the biggest ones.

Brick shouts "Okay team, run! The finish line is on the other side of the island!"

Eva replies "Which way, brainiac?"

Brick points left. "This way! I saw Chris bring Justin and Topher over this way, so that must be the finish line!"

Jo laughs as they begin their hike. "Good to see you're useful for something."

Brick growls. "Hey, it's more than anything you did today!"

"What did you say?!"

Brick stomped his foot in the sand. "You heard me Jo!"

Before Jo could reply, Lightning interjects. "Sha-dang! If you two can't stop flirting, we'll lose for sure! Lightning ain't gettin stuck on a team of losers again!"

Brick and Jo just blush at his remark. Jasmine and Eva snicker.

 ** ***Confessional- Jasmine*****  
"See! I'm not the only one that sees it! Ya know, I was bummed that I wasn't going to be on a team with Shawn this season, but this is pretty entertaining as well."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

The Brainy Beetles finished unlocking all of their supplies too and are ready to head out. Well, everyone except Harold, that is.

"HAROLD!" Courtney shouts. "We have to head out! Stop waiting for the other team!"

"I must agree with the lady. " Leonard says, "it is time for us to make haste and begin our journey!"

"Just a minute!" Harold shouts back to them. "I just have to make sure Leshawna gets to shore safely!"

 ** ***Confessional- Leonard*****  
"Well, at least I'm not the one dragging the team down this time!"  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Leshawna swims to the beach fairly quickly, and Lindsay jumps soon after she's done. As Harold is checking in with Leshawna, Cameron yells "Okay, she's safe! Now can we _please_ leave?!"

"Psh, sure," Harold replies. Before he leaves, he whispers to Leshawna "Good luck, my queen."

"COME ON!" Scarlett shouts.

 ** ***Confessional- Harold*****  
"A true gentleman always make sure his lady is taken care of before he shows off his mad skills."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Meanwhile, the Brawny Beavers have made significant progress to the finish line. In fact, they can see the end is not too far off. Chris, Chef, and both Justin and Topher are waiting for them there.

"I see the finish line!" Sky tells her team.

"RUN!" Eva shouts.

The team all does as she says, and begin to pick up the pace. In no time flat, they cross the finish lane.

"WE WON!" Jo shouts.

"Why yes you did." Chris says. "Congrats Brawny Beavers for winning the first challenge! Along with none of you going home, you win all of the luxury supplies you brought to the finish line, which include a hammock, extra blankets, and snacks!"

"Woohoo!" Lightning exclaims. "More protein for the Lightning!"

Meanwhile, the Brainy Beavers have begun their hike to the finish line, supplies in tow.

"This is exhausting," Cameron says.

B nods.

"Come on everyone, we got this!" Courtney says. "At least we have all seven of us to carry everything. The Beauty team has five!"

"True." Scarlett replies. "And considering the lack of physically strong competitors on that team, I'd say we have a fair shot at second."

As they make these remarks, the ladies of the Beautiful Butterflies are struggling to carry their supplies, with Leshawna and Sugar taking the majority of it.

"I can't believe Jason and Thomas." Lindsay comments.

"Me either! Now we gonna lose for sure!" Anne Maria replies.

"Listen everyone, I know we may not always agree, but I say we get one of the guys out if we lose." Leshawna remarks. The rest of the women nod.

"I agree." Dawn says. "The guys are dead weight at this point. We can win challenges with just the five of us."

"Amen sister! Sugar exclaims. "Let's get them boys outta here!"

"So then, do we have an alliance then? The five of us?" Leshawna questions.

They all nod.

"Good." Leshawna smiles as she says this.

Just then, Chef's voice comes on over the intercoms hidden in some of the palm trees around camp. "Attention campers! The Brawny Beavers have just made it to the finish line. It's now down to the Brains and Beauties to battle it out for second place! Good luck or whatever!"

The five women all collectively sigh as they struggle to carry all their supplies across the island.

"Damn, it sucks that we gotta carry all this stuff to the finish line!" Sugar says.

Anne Maria is the first to comment. "Right! We don't even win any of this stuff! What's the point?"

"Wait," Dawn interjects. "Do we actually have to carry all of this?"

"What do you mean Daria?" Lindsay asks.

"Well, the Brawny Beavers had to carry all of this so they could win it. But second place doesn't win any of it." Dawn explains.

"I like the way this white girl thinks." Leshawna remarks. "But if the Brains see what we're doing, they'll copy and might beat us."

Anne Maria just smirks at this. "Oh I wouldn't worry about that. HEY HAROLD! Leshawna could sure use a help carrying our stuff!"

Harold pops up seemingly out of nowhere. "With pleasure!" In the distance, they can hear Courtney shout "Harold! Get back here dammnit!"

Once Harold is holding the heaviest case he could find, Sugar shouts "RUN!" And the women of the Beauty team do just that, all the way to the finish line.

"Congrats to the Beautiful Butterflies!" Chris shouts. "You got second place, no vote for you tonight!"

The Beautiful Butterflies collectively cheer and jump around together in victory. Topher and Justin attempt to celebrate with them before being pushed away.

 ** ***Confessional- Topher*****  
"Yeah, the ladies on our team may be a little ticked, but we're safe so there's no worries! Good work Team Beauty!"  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

"Wait!" Scarlett yells as the Brainy Beetles finally make it to the finish. "How do they get second place? They didn't even bring their supplies with them!"

"Um, why would you bring a prize that you aren't going to win?" Chris asks. "Sorry Brainy Beetles, but you got outplayed, and it means you all have a date with me at the campfire ceremony tonight."

"Dammnit!" Scarlett shouts. She looks like she's about to lose her temper, but then she has second thoughts about it and settles down.

"Well, at least I got to show off my mad skills to the fair lady Leshawna, huh guys?" Harold says as he nudges Leonard. Unfortunately for him, Leonard and the rest of his team just respond with a glare.

"Heh heh, no worries, right?"

 _*Campfire Ceremony*_  
"Welcome to this season's first Campfire Ceremony!" Chris announces to the Brain's team, who are sitting in the middle of the arena. "Brainy Beetles, you were outplayed by the Brawny Beavers and outwitted by the Beautiful Butterflies, the latter of which is kinda pathetic. Anyway, we're going back to the basics with the vote this season. If you are safe, you will receive a marshmallow. If you are going home, you receive nothing but the crushing feeling of utter defeat. You all casted your votes, now it's time to read the results."

Chris takes a deep breath as he pulls out a bag of marshmallows. "The first person safe tonight is... B!" Chris says as he tosses a marshmallow to B. He catches it no problem.

"Cameron." He then tosses one to Cameron, who is less successful with his catch.

"Shawn. Leonard."

Both catch their marshmallows. Leonard is especially happy to be receiving one.

Chris now is looking directly at the three remaining campers. "All three of you received votes tonight for different reasons. Courtney, you were the last one to dive, and while it was a super sweet moment, it definitely held your team back. You also threw Harold down the cliff, which was pretty funny. Harold, you were too distracted with helping Leshawna to actually help your team. Scarlett, you didn't really do anything wrong this challenge, but _some people_ still aren't over you trying to kill them last season."

Scarlett glares at Shawn at this remark, and he glares right back.

Chris continues anyway. "Luckily for you, only Shawn was there, so you receive the next marshmallow." He then tosses one to Scarlett, and continues with his speech.

"And the last person to receive a marshmallow tonight is..."

The suspenseful music builds and the camera focuses in on Courtney, and then Harold. Both look anxious as they wait for Chris to speak again. Finally, he opens his mouth, and a name comes out.

"Courtney."

"YES!" Courtney exclaims in victory. Chris tosses the last marshmallow to her, and then turns to face Harold.

"Sorry Harold, but your time is up. Time to head to our latest form of dramatic exit."

"Oh god," Harold says. "What is it?"

"Oh, it's great." Chris chuckles.

Time skip to Harold's exit, we see the Brainy Beetles and Chris surrounded by a giant slingshot. Harold is standing in the sling shot's pocket, with Chef stretching it back.

"Behold, the Slingshot of Defeat!" Chris shouts. "Any last words before Chef sends you on your way?"

"Yes," Harold says. "Tell Leshawna I-"

Chef sends Harold flying. As he is in the air, we hear him shouting "LOVE HERRRR..." until he's too far away to hear him anymore.

With that, Chris now faces the camera. "Well, that's one camper down, 20 more to go! Will the Beauty women's alliance stay intact? Will the Brains' get it together? Will anyone on Brawn _get_ together? Find out next time, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"

 **•** ** **End of Episode Two•****

 ** **And that concludes our first elimination! Here is a list of how each of the Brainy Beetles voted:****  
 **•** ** **B- Harold****  
 **•** ** **Cameron- Harold****  
 **•** ** **Courtney- Harold****  
 **•** ** **Harold- Courtney****  
 **•** ** **Leonard- Harold****  
 **•** ** **Scarlett- Harold****  
 **•** ** **Shawn- Scarlett****

 ** **I chose to have Harold be the first to go for several reasons. One, it's easy to believe that he would risk his game for Leshawna, since he did it before on World Tour. Two, I didn't see too much space for him to grow with the way this story is going to go. And finally, I have big plans for Leshawna and the other campers that he just didn't fit into. Leshawna's reaction to his elimination and her team's part in it will be addressed in the next chapter.****

 ** **Questions/Comments are much appreciated. Let me know what you think!****

 ** **Finally, I will include an updated list of the elimination order at the end of each chapter, so don't go to the end unless you want a spoiler!****

 ** **Eliminated: Harold****


	4. Survival of the Wit-est

**VintageMadame here! Thanks to everyone who has commented, favorited, and followed so far! I truly appreciate it so much! Here is Chapter 3, please continue to leave your feedback and most of all, enjoy!**

* * *

 **Here is the updated team breakdown:**

 **Brainy Beetles: B, Cameron, Courtney, Leonard, Scarlett, Shawn**

 **Brawny Beavers: Brick, DJ, Eva, Jasmine, Jo, Lightning, Sky**

 **Beautiful Butterflies: Anne Maria, Dawn, Justin, Leshawna, Lindsay, Sugar, Topher**

* * *

 ***Last Episode Recap***

"Last time on Total Drama... The campers competed in their first challenge- diving off a cliff in hopes to win rad luxury supplies and safety from the vote. Courtney and DJ got redemption ( _camera shows a clip of DJ and Courtney screaming together as they fall down the cliff_ ), and the women on Beauty formed an alliance out of pure spite for Justin and Topher, who refused to jump ( _a shot of Justin and Topher lounging at the finish line is shown, followed by the angry faces of their female teammates_ ). As expected, the Brawny Beavers came out on top, and the Brainy Beetles came in last after being outsmarted by the Beautiful Butterflies. In the end, it was Harold who was sent home after he was too busy flirting to be of any help to his team. Who will excel this week? And who will get kicked in the kiwis? You know it's bound to happen!  
Well, it's time to find out now, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"

 ***End Recap***

* * *

The camera shows the Brainy Beetles walking back from the Slingshot of Defeat. While no one looks particularly excited, there is a collective sense of relief since none of them got eliminated.

They end their walk at three giant cabins, which is where the campers will be living. The Beautiful Butterflies are in the middle cabin, and the Brawny Beavers are on the right side. The cabins look identical, but the Brawn team's cabin is decked out with their reward from this morning, which includes a hammock, kayaks, tapestries, and lawn chairs.

Currently, the two other teams are standing in front of their respective cabins, waiting to see who got voted out. Once the Brainy Beetles are standing in front of them, it doesn't take long to see what happened. To no one's surprise, Leshawna is the first to speak.

"Harold?!" she exclaims. "Damn, I mean I get it, but..."

Unable to finish her sentence, she just lets out a small sigh.

"Yeah, saw that coming." Anne Maria bluntly adds.

"Good job, Nerds." Jo adds in. "Getting rid of the weak early. I'm impressed."

Most of the Brains just walk by, feeling out of steam with everything that went on today. They go to the cabin on the left, figuring out pretty easily that that's where they will be living for the rest of the competition. The only people that stay in place are Shawn and Courtney.

Shawn tells the guys from his team that he wants to check in with Jasmine. They nod and head into their side of the cabin. Shawn rushes to Jasmine, who's waiting with the rest of the Brawn women.

"Hey babe," he says, right before he reaches up to kiss her. It's just a quick peck, but it's enough to make them both significantly happier than they were just moments ago.

"Hi Shawn, I'm so glad you're safe." She replies after the kiss. "So how did the vote go?"

"Yeah Zombie boy, what happened?" Eva interjects.

Shawn finally breaks his gaze away from Jasmine to see that all of her female teammates are staring behind her.

He addresses them, but wearily. "Well, you know, its was a pretty easy vote. Harold messed up so we voted him off. Nothing crazy."

"Really? No drama _whatsoever_?" Jo asks. "Not even with-"

"Nope. None at all." Shawn interjects. "I should probably go back to my team. I'll see you later Jasmine."

Jasmine sighs. "That's okay, bye Shawn. Have fun."

He kisses her one more time before running towards his cabin. Jasmine follows her team inside.

 ***Confessional- Shawn***  
"Look, I know Jasmine's my girlfriend, and I obviously want to help her when I can- but there is no way I'll helping out her whole team! I can't even confirm that they're not zombies yet!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

While that conversation is occurring, Courtney rushes to Leshawna before she heads into the cabin with her team.

"Leshawna, wait!" Courtney yells to her. Leshawna turns to face her before she replies "What, Courtney?"

"Well, before he left, Harold wanted us to tell you that... that he loved you. Just thought I should relay the message."

"And why would you tell me that? You of all people?"

"Because if someone loved me like that, I'd want to know. And even though we're competing against each other, I still want to try and create new friendships while we're here, especially those who saw me in a...less flattering light."

Leshawna smiles slightly. "Well... thanks girl, I appreciate you doing that for Harold, and for me. But don't think I'm not gonna watch you to see if you've really changed or not. You're not getting my trust that easily."

Now it was Courtney's turn to smile. "I would expect nothing less. I look forward to competing with you this season."

"Same here sista."

They shake hands before Courtney turns to leave.

As Courtney goes back to her own cabin, she sees that Scarlett has been waiting for her. When she reaches the red head, Scarlett smiles at Courtney and they walk to their cabin together. Once they reach the door, Scarlett says "That was very nice of you, Courtney."

Courtney looks at Scarlett in confusion. "Uh... thanks, I guess?"

"Look, I apologize for how I treated you last challenge. I didn't mean to be so rude, I just got caught up in the competition. You must know what that's like." Scarlett says.

Courtney can't even look at her teammate after that last sentence. "Yeah, I do know what that's like. I forgive you, honestly."

Scarlett puts a hand on Courtney's shoulder. "I'm glad you see things my way. We need each other Courtney, especially on this team."

Courtney refocuses on Scarlett. "What do you mean?"

"I mean we are the only two females on this team and the boys are already bonding. We may not get another chance for someone to mess up as badly as Harold did. If we lose again, we need to work together to ensure that one of them is eliminated."

Courtney takes a minute to process Scarlett's pitch. "Yeah, I guess that makes sense, an alliance would be a good idea right now... but we can't do it alone, we'll need to work with at least one other person."

Scarlett smiles at her response. "Oh don't worry, I'm sure at least _one_ of them will be willing to switch. After all, they can't all go to the final two... but we can."

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"My current plans do not include taking Courtney to the final two. She has her flaws, but overall she's a fierce competitor, and I need to take someone more easy to break. But since she wasn't eliminated last challenge, we might as well work together. After all, if you can't beat them, join them."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Now it's Courtney's turn to sport a wicked smile. "I like the way you think Scarlett. It's a deal."

For the second time that night, Courtney shakes hands with a competitor.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"I'd be a total idiot to trust that Scarlett _actually_ intends to keep her promise to me. But for right now, it's in both of our best interests to pretend to trust each other. We have to work fast though, I bet the guys are already scheming to get rid of us!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The camera is now on the guys of the Brainy Beetles, who are gathered around a large tree. They are indeed making plans, but not about the women on their team.

"So, you're saying that not only can we all comfortably sleep in this tree, but that it's safer than the cabins?" Cameron asks Shawn.

"Yeah dude!" Shawn exclaims. "Sleeping in the trees will protect you from everything! Bears, zombies, your girlfriend's nosy teammates, everything!"

B and Cameron glance at each other with a look of concern in their eyes. "Yeah, I think those are concerns specific to _you_ , Shawn."

Leonard decides to give his input. "Come on you guys, it'll be fun! We can share a new experience together."

B and Cameron once again give each other a look of concern. B's the first to give in with a shrug. Cameron sighs and says "Alright, fine, we can try it. But uh, B, can you help me get up into the tree?"

B nods.

 ***Confessional- Leonard***  
"Silly Shawn doesn't even realize the safest way to sleep is to create a forcefield enchantment on your bed. But no matter, either way us being in such close quarters is the best way to secure an alliance!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Meanwhile, the men on the Beauty Team are scheming in their side of the cabin.

"The women all hate us. One of us is sure to go if we lose the next challenge." Topher whispers.

Justin tries to ease the situation. "Sure, things don't look promising right now, but that group isn't going to stick together for long. All we have to do is get two of them to switch sides."

"How about Lindsay? She'll be easy to manipulate." Topher suggests

"No, Lindsay's loyal to a fault, and she's getting close with Leshawna. I say let's try to sway Sugar and Anne Maria, they'll be the easiest to convince."

"Careful with Sugar, Justin. She's not as dumb as you may think."

Justin smirks. "Don't worry, I got this. Those two are as good as putty in our hands."

 ***Confessional- Topher***  
"Hey, if Justin wants to find out for himself how self-serving Sugar is, be my guest. When it's all over, he'll be the one that has to face the consequences."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The mood in the women's side of the Beauty cabin is much less optimistic. At least for Leshawna, it is.

"Leshawna, your aura has dimmed significantly since the Brains team came back. I'm guessing it has to do with Harold?" Dawn asks.

Leshawna looks up for the first time in awhile. "Well, yeah. I know we had to win, but we _are_ kind of the reason he got eliminated."

"What do ya mean _kind of_? We _are_ the reason he got eliminated!" Anne Maria cackles as she's spraying her hair.

"Hell yeah we did! Just think'a the kinda power our alliance will have as the game goes on!" Sugar shouts. Her and Anne Maria high five at this.

"Don't worry Leshawna, it's part of the game. We have each other's backs and that's all that matters right now." Dawn offers to her.

"Yeah, girl power!" Lindsay exclaims as she gives Leshawna a big side hug.

Leshawna begins to smile a little bit. "Ha. Yeah you're right. You're all right. The Beautiful Butterflies got this!"

"Woohoo!" They all exclaim together.

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"Look, I know that this is a game and all, but I can't help but be upset at Harold's elimination, especially since I caused it. I just don't want to be the villain. That's not who I am."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The next morning sees the Brawny Beavers comfortable with their new luxury items. They all have significantly more blankets and pillows than the other cabins do, and lots of snack food stocked under the bunks.

The three men on Brawn are all sleeping soundly until Brick's new and (loudly) improved alarm clock wakes them all up. DJ, who was on the top bunk below Lightning, falls to the floor after the rude awakening. He shouts "Mama!" as he falls, landing with a loud thud.

"Hey dude, you good?" Lightning asks his bunk mate. DJ responds with a groan and a thumbs up.

"HEY BRICK FOR BRAINS!" They hear Jo shout from the other side of the wall. "Cut the shit with the alarm clock! Some of us still enjoy sleep!"

"Sorry Jo! And the rest of ladies!" Brick says meekly. He gets a faint chorus of "It's fine." as a response.

"Oh, so just the girls get an apology? We live with you!" DJ whines.

"Well, it's not like you haven't had a worse fall in the past 24 hours." Brick says as he gives a friendly smile to let him know he's being lighthearted.

"Heheh, Soldier Boy got a point." Lightning chuckles. "Uh, good job jumping by the way, Lightning's glad he isn't on a team of losers again."

" _I_ was on that team with you too you know." Brick reminds him. "But seriously DJ, good job, you made the whole team proud. _Especially_ since you got Courtney to jump with you. I don't know how you did it, the girl's stubborn as hell."

"For real!" Lightning interjects. "Lightning can't believe you got Lawyer Girl to jump! You sure nothing's going on with you two?"

DJ's eye go wide. "Wait, what?"

"Yes, I was thinking the same thing!" Brick says. "Come on DJ, you two _were_ clinging awfully close to each other."

"When we we _falling off a cliff!_ " DJ points out to them. "Courtney and I are _friends_! We helped each other out! And neither of you have any right to talk!"

"Huh?" Brick says.

"Sha-what?! Lightning shouts.

"Oh please, the two of you very clearly crushing on certain _teammates_ of ours. Come on Brick, Dawn told me how you like to be dominated _, especially_ by certain _female jocks_."

Brick's face turns bright red. Lightning cackles uncontrollably at the last sentence.

"And Lightning, I've never seen you be shy around _anyone..._ yet you can barely talk to her, and you're being nicer just because _she_ told you to. Wanna tell me what that's all about?"

"Psh, whatever man, Sky's just a good competitor. She's almost as good an athlete as _the Lightning!_ " Lightning says as he flexes his arms.

"Dude, I never said her name."

Lightning stops flexing at this. "S-Sh-Sha-Shut Up man!"

"You guys do know I helped my friends get together on the first season right? I'm always down to be a wingman." DJ suggests.

"Sha-no way!" Lightning exclaims. "We're here to _win_. Lightning can't get distracted, and Lightning won't be! Same for Brick, right Brick?"

Brick, who's still rather red, just stands up immediately and shouts "I'm going for a run!" to no one in particular. He runs out the door before they can say anything else.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Man, those two are in _way_ more denial than I thought possible. That can't be healthy. I'm taking it upon myself to set them straight. Who says I can't compete and have fun? Well, besides Lightning that is."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The camera now goes to the girls' side of the Brawn cabin, which is equally filled with an excessive amount of pillows, blankets, and snacks. Jasmine notices Brick jogging by their cabin, trying almost too hard not to look at their side.

"Hey Jo."

"What Jasmine?"

"Brick just went on a jog. You should go with him. You guys used to jog together, right?"

Before Jo could reply, they hear multiple taps on their door. They open it to find DJ, who immediately blurts out, "Jasmine's right, you should go with him."

"Wait, were you listening in on us?" Jo asks DJ.

"Just while I was at the door. And it wasn't like I had to try, you guys are really loud."

Jo rolls her eyes. "I'm not going just for the benefit of _you two_." She points to DJ and Jasmine. "And also, we never jogged _together_ we ran separately, at the same time, and I was _always_ faster."

Jasmine lets out a light laugh. "Okay mate, then go remind him who the _faster_ one still is."

Jo smirks and jumps out of her bed. " _Now_ you're speaking my language. Be right back."

She's about to leave until Eva holds her back. Eva glares at Jo, and then turns to DJ and says "DJ, we need to have a girl talk. Go find Lightning or something."

DJ groans. "Come _on,_ Eva. Lightning's mad at me right now and is just doing push ups in our room out of frustration."

Sky blushes a little.

Eva just yells "DJ, _GO!_ "

"Alright, alright, fine." DJ says. He closes the door and goes back to Lightning.

Once the door is shut, Eva begins to speak. "Alright, _listen_ you two." She points to Jo and Sky. "You're good competitors, we _all_ are, but don't think for a second that we won't vote you off if you get too distracted by the Cadet and the Athletic Idiot. Ask long as we're a _team_ , you have to stay _focused_. This is _Total Drama_ , not _The Bachelorette_."

Jasmine just laughs. "Oh Eva, calm down. They're both strong and capable. They can be competitive and have a crush. You act like they're Harold."

"I'm _not_ like Harold, and I _don't_ have a crush on Brick!" Jo yells.

"Same here!" Sky adds. "Except with Lightning. I mean the crush part. I mean... look, Lightning's not gonna get in the way of our win, okay? We all want to win Eva."

Before Eva can respond, Jasmine buts in. "See? Problem solved, go team!"

Eva just stares unamused into the camera.

 ***Confessional- Eva***  
"Our team _better_ stay focused! Half of them are too busy planning out their weddings to worry about, oh I don't know, _the competition_! I'm trying not to lose my temper, but they're making it _very hard._ "  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Eva needs to cool it. She's ruining my plans to get those pairs together by the time the summer is over."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

After about ten minutes, there's another knock on the door. Jasmine shouts "Come in!", and it opens to reveal the three men on their team. Sensing the tension, DJ quickly waved hi to everyone and asks a much-needed question.

"Lunch anyone?"

* * *

Within the hour, all of the campers are in the Mess Hall. Chef is in his usual place, serving the contestants at the lunch line. To everyone's surprise, the food isn't that bad.

"Wow, Chef, this is actually pretty _decent_." Eva says as she's served.

"Spaghetti and meatballs, a classic! Excellent choice chef!" Topher adds.

"Did I ask you maggots for your opinion?!" Chef asks.

"No." They both say.

"Then sit down and eat your damn food!"

"Yes Chef!" They both grab their trays and scramble to a table.

Sky and Lindsay are the last two to be served.

Lindsay asks Sky, "How many calories do you think this food is?"

Sky smiles and says "I'm sure however much it is, we'll burn off during the challenge. Don't worry Lindsay!"

"Ahhh, thank you Star!" Lindsay replies.

"Um, actually it's-"

"Yo Sky!" Lightning yells from his table. "Lightning saved you a seat! Ya know, so the team can eat together and everything."

Lindsay looks confused. "Then why is PJ with Caroline and Leshawna?"

Sure enough, Courtney, DJ, and Leshawna are all sitting together, talking about nothing in particular. Scarlett is sitting next to Courtney, but is quietly eating. There is an empty space next to Leshawna, presumably for Lindsay.

Before Lightning can attempt to explain himself, Sky just says. "Thanks Lightning, I'll be there in a second!"

Lightning smiles.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"What? It's always a good idea to bond with your teammates!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The feel of the Mess Hall was particularly relaxed. Too relaxed for the experienced campers.

"Does anyone else find it odd that we actually got to sleep in today?" Cameron asks the group.

"Ya know, now that you mention it, it does seem kind of weird." Jasmine adds in. "I feel like we should be in the middle of a challenge right about now."

"Well, maybe we have the day off today?" Lindsay suggests.

Without a moment's notice, Chris comes barging in the door.

"Now why would you think a silly thing like that Lindsay?" Chris questions. "Of course you have a challenge today! We just wanted to get you nice and relaxed for what's to come this evening."

"Oh no!" Leonard yells.

"Oh yes!" Chris replies. "Campers, finish up and be outside your cabins in 15 minutes. And wear something you don't mind sleeping in."

By the time the 15 minutes is up, all the teams are standing in front of their respective cabins. Most of them are in pajamas, but a few of the Beauty campers are wearing fancier attire. Anne Maria is the last to be make it outside the cabin. She arrives with a large duffle bag in tow.

Dawn looks straight at the bag and says "Anne Maria, I don't think we'll be needing a bag of that size for the challenge."

Anne Maria laughs. "Of course _you_ don't, but _I_ need to keep up the image for the sake of the Beautiful Butterflies. _One_ of us should at least look presentable.

"Wait, if Anne Maria gets to bring her cosmetics, then I'm getting my skin care!" Topher yells. He runs back inside before anyone can stop him.

Leshawna and Dawn look at each other in disbelief. They decide to drop the subject altogether.

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"I can sense a continuous disaster coming to the Beautiful Butterflies. I'm going to have to use every resource possible to prevent that from happening!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris and Chef arrive to the cabins in a golf cart. Chris, refusing to leave the vehicle, opts to speak into a megaphone instead.

"Good afternoon campers! Beautiful Butterflies, where is your teammate? The annoying one?"

"I'm here Chris!" Topher shouts as he runs outside the cabin with a bag equally as large as Anne Maria's. "Miss me too much?"

"Hardly." Chris respond. "But you and the human spray tan may want to rethink the bags, because tonight's challenge is an overnight camping trip!"

The campers collectively groan at this.

"I know, I'm excited too." Chris says with a smile. "Here's how tonight is going to work. This challenge comes in two parts. Each team will receive a map and head to the campsite, where you will begin building a kickass shelter for the night. Then you will build a fire. You have until dark to do this, which is when Chef and I will judge the campgrounds. The team that has the highest combined score for shelter-building and fire-making will win Part 1 of the Challenge. They will be automatically safe from elimination tomorrow. The two remaining teams will compete in Part Two tomorrow morning."

"And what exactly is Part Two?" Jo asks.

"To be announced." Chris replies.

"How can we prepare for a challenge when we don't even know what it is?" Eva says.

"By winning the first part of the challenge so you don't _have_ to do Part Two." Chris says.

Eva frowns.

Chris continues. "Now, any _other_ stupid questions that I won't feel like answering? No? Good! Now, Chef will distribute a map to each team."

Chef simply drives the golf cart by each team and throws a map into the air. Jo catches the one for the Brawn, Sugar catches the one for Beauty, and Cameron attempts to catch Brain's map, only to miss it and fall down. B helps him up, and Courtney picks the map up from the ground.

"And now that you all have your maps..." Chris announces, "The challenge can begin...right...NOW!"

Everyone huddles with their team to look at they maps. Courtney, unsurprisingly, decides to speak first for the Brains.

"Okay, I think we can work these directions out between the six of us, but is anyone particularly confident in reading a map?" She asks. Knowing her bossy nature, the team is rather surprised by her words.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"People always try to get me out early for being too bossy. Let's see what happens when I let someone else take the reigns. And this is NOT me admitting that I have weaknesses, you hear me?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Shawn and Scarlett both raise their hands for map reading. Shawn glares at Scarlett and " _I_ should be leading the way, if only so I know I won't be led to my death."

Scarlett looks like she's about to get angry, but instead opts to give a smile. "Fine by me Shawn, since you're so confident in yourself. I'll stay in the back to keep look out for zombies, since there's a 70% chance-"

"-that zombies will attack from behind." Shawn finishes the sentence for her. "How did you know that?"

"Well, I am on the _Brainy_ Beetles." Scarlett offers.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"I may have hacked into Chris' email a few months ago to see the list of my competition for this season. Given my reputation, I figured it'd be wise to research all of their passions beforehand. I looked up Australian wildlife for Jasmine, Olympic gymnast records for Sky, beauty pageant lingo for Sugar, Canadian corporate law for Courtney, _and_ read Shawn's zombie blog. If only to freak them out a little."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Shawn gives Scarlett a terrified expression. He pushes the map into her face and says "Here, _you_ lead the way, _I'll_ protect us from the end."

Scarlett smiles and says "Whatever you want, Shawn. Come on everyone, let's start this way." She leads the team to the center of the forest towards a clearing.

The Beautiful Butterflies are also trying to figure out their map. Sugar, being the one holding it, gives it to Topher and says "Lead the way sir! I remember you sayin how great you were at this kind of stuff last season, right?"

Topher looks confused for second, before correcting himself and saying "Oh, yeah... Right! Don't worry Beautiful Butterflies, I'll lead the way!"

 ***Confessional- Topher***  
"Wow, getting Sugar to trust us is going to be easier than expected!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"I may have rubbed out part of the pathways on the map. But with Topher leading the way, everyone's gonna blame him if we lose! Hahahaha!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Meanwhile, the Brawny Beavers are in a huddle. Eva speaks first.

"Okay, there's a good chance the map that Chris gave us is overly complicated and more confusing than necessary. Rather than us all get lost, I say we split up into three groups to cover more ground. Can everybody whistle?"

They all nod.

"Okay, so we whistle when our group gets to camp. How's that sound?"

Jasmine shrugs. "Sounds alright to me, I kinda doubt the map will be much use either, Chris isn't known for his helpfulness."

Brick interjects. "Um, in cadets we had a class on deciphering maps. Mind if I give it a crack while we search?"

Jo hands it to Brick. "Fine by me, Brick-for-brains. Now how are we gonna divide the groups?"

Jasmine grabs DJ and Eva. "We'll be a team! Us three, right here. You guys can do two pairs. Come on you two, let's go search!" Jasmine runs off in the direction she saw the Brainy Beetles go. DJ follows her. Eva is about to interject, but then decides to drop it and goes after them.

Brick turns to Jo and begins to ask "So, think a Toxic Rats reunion will-"

"LIGHTNING!" Jo shouts. Lightning immediately has her attention. "You and me are a pair. Let's go find the campsite."

"But-" Lightning says.

"I'll race ya." Jo offers. She begins to run in the opposite direction that Jasmine, DJ, and Eva went.

"YOU'RE ON! Lighting gonna sha-win!" He shouts as he follows her, leaving Sky and Brick behind. Before he's completely out of the distance, he shouts back to the remaining pair. "Uh- good luck Sky! Oh, and Brick! Yeah!"

 ***Confessional- Jo***  
"I know what Aussie's trying to do and it's not gonna work on me! I need a break from Brick right now, and Lightning's easy to drag along."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Brick lets out a sigh and has a disappointed look on his face. Sky places a hand on his shoulder and says "Cheer up Brick! Let's figure out that map and find the campsite first!"

Brick smiles and holds up the map for them both to read.

 ***Confessional- Brick***  
"I think it's about time I remember that I'm on the Brawn team for a reason. I'm here to compete, and Jo's not going to be my downfall. Thank god I have a friend like Sky who knows what I'm going through"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Turns out that Sugar's plan seems to be working, as the Beautiful Butterflies are stuck in the middle of nowhere.

"We're so lost!" Anne Maria shouts.

"Gee, no shit." Justin mumbles.

"Topher, are you _sure_ you can read that map right?" Leshawna asks.

"Of course! How hard can it be?" Topher replies.

"Apparently very." Lindsay adds in.

Dawn jogs up next to Topher. "Let me see that map for a second." Topher begrudgingly does so. Dawn squints at the markings for a second before saying "I think you accidentally wiped some sweat onto the map. See? There's some blotches over on this side."

"What? No way!" Topher scoffs.

"Well that's just great, Topher!" Anne Maria shouts.

"Oh no! We're doomed forever!" Sugar yells, playing into the dramatics.

"I swear it wasn't me! I don't sweat, I never have!" Topher says defensively.

"You're the only one who had the map, who else could have done it?" Justin asks.

Topher is clearly getting frustrated. "I swear, it wasn't-"

Leshawna interjects. "Whatever, it doesn't matter. Point is, we're lost. Dawn, do you think you can use your Mother Nature voodoo powers or whatever to find the campsite?"

Dawn shrugs. "Odd wording, but I can definitely try."

"Good. Lead the way, white girl."

Dawn makes a complete U-Turn and leads her team in the opposite direction. Topher looks devastated.

 ***Confessional- Topher***  
"It's not my fault!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Hehehehehehe."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

About an hour in, DJ, Jasmine, and Eva are lightly jogging through the woods, trying to find the campsite. Eva is leading the jog, unamused by DJ and Jasmine's giggles behind her.

"Who do you think will make a move first?" Jasmine whispered to DJ.

"Out of those four?" DJ whispers back.

"Yeah."

"Jo."

"Psh, yeah right. She'll never admit to liking anyone other than herself."

"Well, who else would?"

"Fair point. Maybe they need a little push in the right direction."

Eva turns around and stops the two in their tracks. "Oh no you two don't! Those airheads are already distracted as it is. We're supposed to be the most competitive team out there, and you're too busy playing match maker! No more of this... _please_." Eva adds in the last word through clenched teeth.

DJ looks like he's about to whine, but Jasmine covers his mouth and says "You got it Eva! No more nonsense with the Brawny Beavers!"

 ***Confessional- Jasmine & DJ***  
"Eva doesn't believe we can compete and have fun at the same time." Jasmine says.

"But _we_ whole-heartedly disagree." DJ adds.

Jasmine nods and continues. "So, that means we have to be more subtle with our intent then we have been, since it's clearly not working."

DJ finishes with a shout, "So all-aboard shippers, Captains DJ and Jasmine are commanding this ship. And it's going to be a _bumpy_ ride."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Meanwhile, Brick and Sky are also jogging while Brick is trying to read the map. He looks to Sky and says "Eva was right, this map is pretty difficult. Do you think we should just keep going this way?"

Sky shrugs, "Fine by me, wanna have a race on our own?"

"Sure! You know, Jo and I raced all the time back in our first season. It's been awhile, so I'm a little rusty now."

"You and Jo are quite the teammates. You always seem to wanna impress her."

"I mean... I guess I do. She's just so hard to please, ya know? But don't listen to what DJ tells you, it's all for competition's sake!"

"Okay Brick, let me know if you ever want to talk about it."

Before Brick can answer, they hear Lightning's voice shout loudly "WHISTLE!", followed by a slap and Jo yelling "LIGHTNING YOU IDIOT, THAT'S NOT HOW YOU WHISTLE!"

Sky laughs. "Speaking of Jo, I think her and Lightning found the campsite."

Brick gives off a faint chuckle and says "Still down for a race?"

"Bring it on."

Around that time, Lightning and Jo are inspecting their supplies. Lightning's cheek is still a little red, and Jo's been quite since yelling at him. Finally, Jo speaks.

"You know, you and I make a pretty good team."

"Lightning's not surprised, he's good on any team!"

"But Lightning, think about it. We're two of the most athletic contestants the show has ever had. We'd be unstoppable as an alliance."

"That's what you said in All-Stars, then Lightning was off sha-second!"

"Yeah, but this time I actually mean it. Come on dude. We'd just be helping each other out when we need it."

Lightning scrunches his face as he thinks about his options. He then extends his hand and says "Sha-deal."

The two shake.

 ***Confessional- Jo***  
"Lightning's a lot of things: a moron, oblivious, self-centered, and head-over heels for a girl he literally met two days ago. But he's also a good competitor. I underestimated him in All-Stars, and I'm not about to do it again. I'm keeping my team as strong as possible."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

After their moment, Jo snaps back into the present. "Alright Bright-ning, let's start setting up an epic campsite before the other teams get here."

"Uh, Jo?"

"What?"

"Turn around, Brainy team's been here."

"WHAT?!" She turns around to find Courtney, Cameron, and Leonard setting up some rocks around a massive circle. B's tying some trees together to create some shade over them. Scarlett is just returning with some firewood, and Shawn is picking berries from a nearby bush, adding to his nearly-full bag.

"When the hell did you guys get here?" Jo asks the team.

"Um, I'd say like half an hour ago?" Cameron yells from afar.

"Yeah, sounds about right." Courtney adds.

B nods in approval.

"Well, how'd you sha-get here so fast?" Lightning adds.

"Scarlett's good at reading maps." Leonard says. "And the good-luck charm I casted on our team this morning."

"Oh yeah, that was weird," Shawn says. "Hey, where's Jasmine?"

At that moment, Jasmine, DJ, and Eva come running into camp. Shawn wastes no time shouting "Hey Jasmine!" as she comes charging in.

Jasmine giggles and waves back to him. Shawn is about to run over to talk to her before Courtney shouts "Shawn, focus!", leaving him to continue looking for food.

About ten minutes after the Brawn team organizes their equipment, Sky bursts through the woods running at full speed, shouting "Woohoo I win!" as she slows down. Brick follows shortly after her, out of breath.

"Damn, Sky, good job. Be careful though, I'll beat you before the summer's over." Brick pants out.

Sky lets out a genuine laugh before saying. "I look forward to it, Brick. Now, let's help out the team."

The two are walking over to their teammates and laughing, much to the distaste of Jo.

"Not surprised, Brick here loses to girls regularly." Jo says to the pair.

Before Brick can reply, Sky says "Well, when they're as good of athletes as you Jo, I'm not surprised."

Jo smiles at Sky. "I like you, you're a smart chick. Now, go make sure Lightning and Mama's Boy over there don't hurt themselves building the shelter. We gotta beat those nerds."

Sky just nods and walks over to where Lightning and DJ are setting up camp.

DJ gives Lightning a little nudge when he sees Sky walking over. He whispers quickly "Talk to her."

Lightning is beginning to look frustrated. "About what?" He asks DJ.

"Give her a compliment. Something you like about her."

As Sky approaches the boys' set-up, DJ nudges Lightning again, this time closer to her. Sky gives Lightning a smile before saying "Hey Lightning, hey DJ, how's the camp going?"

Lightning blurts out "Uh, Lightning thinks you run good- like, really good."

DJ smacks his hand to his forehead in disbelief. Sky smiles a little bit more and replies with "Thank you Lightning, that means a lot."

 ***Confessional- DJ & Lightning***  
"YOU RUN GOOD?! REALLY DUDE?!" DJ asks the jock.

"It was the first thing Lightning could think of! Back off!" Lightning retorts.

"Man, this is going to be a struggle."

"Lightning never asked for your help anyway!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"You know, it's nice to be complimented on my athletic abilities rather than my looks for once. But again, I'm not looking into it. Lightning and I are both focusing on the win!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Eva returns with more wood. She turns to Sky and says "We are building a lean-to structure for our campsite. You know, one of those half-rooms with a slanted roof? Jo's working on the fire, and Jasmine's looking for some food with her dumb boyfriend. Any questions?"

Sky shrugs. "Nope, sounds good to me. I'll help with the lean-to."

About two hours have gone by when both teams are done with their campsites. It's beginning to turn dark, and only the Brawn team has a fire going. However, the Brains haven't given up, as B is setting up a large teepee-like structure with logs. The rest of the team is watching.

"Should we help him?" Shawn whispers to Cameron.

"Honestly, it's better to just let him work." Cameron whispers back.

Just then, Chris and Chef barge into the campsite in their obnoxious golf cart. Chris turns on his megaphone and speaks into it. "Having a wonderful evening, are we campers? Well, first things first, I believe we are missing a third of our cast. Anyone care to explain?"

After that's said, the Beautiful Butterflies come barging into camp, with Dawn leading the way.

Lindsay shouts "Yeyyy, we made it!"

Justin looks at Chris and Chef. "We're not too late, are we?"

Chris and Chef cackle together. "Oh on the contrary, you're _so_ late. Well, I guess we know one team that's competing tomorrow."

"Noooooo!" Sugar shouts, falling on her knees to the ground.

"Yes." Chris adds. " _Anyway..._ Brawny Beavers, show us what you got."

Chef drives over to the Brawn team's side of camp. The whole team is standing by their lean-to, smiling widely with their hands behind their backs. Both Chris and Chef are writing some notes down on a clipboard. A piece of their roof falls off, but Jo quickly kicks it out of sight.

Chef laughs. "Boy, I wouldn't sleep in that thing if you paid me!"

Chris laughs back. "I know, right? Sleeping tonight is going to suck for you guys. However, you _do_ have a steady fire going. I'd give this camp like a C. Minus."

"Woohoo! C-!" Lightning shouts in victory. The rest of his team looks at him in confusion.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Lightning hasn't gotten a C- since preschool. I'd say that's a win for _The Lightning!"_  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Alrighty..." Chris continues. "Onward, Chef, to the Brainy Beetles!"

Chef drives the golf cart just a short distance away to the Brainy Beetle's side of camp. Everyone except B is sitting down. B is banging two sticks together. Chris and Chef continue to write stuff down.

"Well, your campsite-thing looks slightly more comfortable than the Brawny Beavers. What, uh, exactly is it?" Chris says cautiously.

"I call it, the _Fortress of Victory!_ " Leonard shouts. Scarlett smacks her hand to her forehead in embarrassment.

"Right..." Chris says. He gives Chef an amused look before writing down another note. He then continues to speak. "Well, despite your camp not being a total failure, you still have no fire, so we have no choice but to..."

Cameron interrupts Chris. "WAIT! Look at B!"

B gives his chosen sticks three fierce taps right above their enormous teepee structure. On the third strike, he creates a spark strong enough to set the whole teepee on fire.

"Damn..." Shawn mutters in amazement.

"Holy shit!" Chef shouts.

"Impressive, B." Chris says. "Well, with this sudden development, I'd say it's pretty easy to say that the winners of Part One are the Brainy Beetles! Congrats Brains, no elimination for you!"

The Brainy Beetles shout in celebration. Everyone is relieved and ecstatic to have finally won something. On the Brawny Beavers' side of camp, Eva and Jo are both visibly angry, and are showing it by kicking around pieces of wood.

"We'll have a car come to pick up the Brainy Beetles tomorrow morning. As for the Brawn and Beauty teams, get some rest tonight. You'll need it for tomorrow."

Both teams give a collective gulp in fear for what was to come.

The rest of the night went by fairly uneventfully. As promised, the Brains team were picked up and transported back to the main camp in the morning without incident.

The Brainy Beetles may have had little drama that morning, but the same couldn't be said for the other two teams.

For them, Chef and Chris showed up mid-morning, playing loud music to wake the remaining teams up. Both teams are reasonably startled from the rude awakening, and it takes them a few minutes to adjust.

"Gooodddd morning campers!" Chris announces to the Brawn and Beauty teams. "Seeing as you were both totally decimated by the Brainy Beetles, you will all have to compete in Part 2 of today's challenge. And it's going to be _pretty great._ "

"Oh god..." Jo whines. "Just tell us already McLean!"

"Alright then, prepare yourself campers." Chris says. "Part two of the challenge... is..."

Chef interjects. "FIRST TEAM TO GET BACK TO CAMP WINS!"

Before the campers can get any clarification, the two hop into their golf cart and drive off.

The Brawny Beavers spring into action. "Alright team!" Jo shouts. "Splitting up won't work this time. Everyone runs, everyone does it _fast._ "

"Any idea which way camp is?" DJ asks.

"Brick spent the most time with the map." Sky suggests. "Maybe he should lead the way."

"Oh, come on now!" Jo exclaims. But, after a glare from Lightning, she changes her tone. "I mean, yeah, sure... I guess that makes sense. Lead the way cadet."

With Jo's 'blessing', Brick salutes his team before saying. "I accept my team's generous nomination. Come on team, follow me! And _no one_ gets left behind." With that, he jogs off to the left of their camp.

With varying degrees of confidence, the rest of the Brawny Beavers follow him.

Meanwhile, the Beautiful Butterflies had already started the race, going in no particular direction. Dawn continued to take the lead. "I'm sensing that if we take a right up here, we should be able to get back to camp in no time."

"We believe in ya, girl." Anne Maria says.

"Woohoo, go Darcy!" Lindsay shouts.

Lucky for the Beautiful Butterflies, Dawn was correct in her directions.

Unlucky for them, so was Brick.

Both teams see camp at about the same time. The finish line is at the three teams' cabins, where Chris, Chef, and the Brainy Beetles are all waiting for them. The Beautiful Butterflies are on the West side of camp, and the Brawny Beavers on the the East side.

"Come on team, pick up the pace!" Brick says encouragingly.

"Yeah, we can totally beat those wimps!" Jo agrees.

Knowing that the race was too close for comfort, Sky looks over to Lightning. "Psst, Lightning."

"Sha-what?" Lighting asks.

"I'll race you to the finish." Sky suggests.

Lightning smiles like he just got proposed to. "Oh girl, you are so ON!"

Lightning and Sky both begin to sprint at full speed. Seeing Lightning's burst of energy, Jo starts jogging after them. "Hey idiots, you probably need the whole team there!"

Seeing Jo sprint off leads Brick to begin to sprint too. The remaining three shrug and join the others.

The Beauty team sees the jocks running faster. Leshawna shouts "Come on team, we got to pick the pace! Move it NOW!"

With no hesitation, the whole team begins to sprint as well. It's a foot race to the finish. Finally, we see a near photo finish as both teams get to the cabins at the same time.

"So, who, won?" Justin asks, clearly exhausted.

"I, think, it was, a tie." Anne Maria replies, equally tired.

"Psh, not even close." Chris says. "Congratulations to the Brawny Beavers, no elimination tonight!"

Despite having no idea of how they won, the Brawn team still begins to celebrate.

"Woah, woah, WAIT!" Leshawna shouts. "How is it not even close? It was clearly a tie to me!"

"Yeah, you needed to have your _whole_ team to the finish to win. Brawny Beavers have all their teammates, and your team is missing one."

"Wha, who?" Sugar asks.

Chris and Chef point over to Topher, who is a good few yards away from the finish line. He is on the ground, groaning.

"Topher?! What the hell, man?" Justin yells.

Topher points over to Sugar. "She- that bitch tripped me!"

All the women on the Beauty team gasp. Sugar even starts to shed some tears.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Why, I would never, EVER, tri- are you sure no one's listening? For real? Okay, yeah, I tripped Topher. There wasn't a snowball's chance in Hell in our team beatin' a bunch a' jocks in a race! I ain't a good runner, so I _had_ to make sure someone else took the blame for our loss!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Lindsay gives Topher a death glare. "That's not very nice, _Topher_."

"For real, way to be a sore loser." Anne Maria adds.

Topher then looks to Justin, hoping that his ally will come to his defense. Instead, Justin shakes his head in faux shame, all with a smile on his face.

Topher can't do anything more besides look at his team in utter disbelief.

* * *

 _*Campfire Ceremony*_  
"Beautiful Butterflies, welcome to your first Campfire Ceremony!" Chris announces to the Beauty team.

"To be honest, no one is surprised to see you here after your awful performance in both parts of the challenge. The rules of tonight are the same. If you're safe, you get a marshmallow. If you're going home, you get a date with the Slingshot of Defeat. Now that all the votes have been casted, it's time to read the results."

Chris pauses for a moment. He pulls out a card and begins to read from it. "The first person safe tonight is... Leshawna!" Chris tosses a marshmallow to her with no issues.

"Lindsay. Anne Maria." He then tosses a marshmallow to each girl. Lindsay's lands in her mouth, Anne Maria's lands in her poof.

"Dawn." She catches her marshmallow as well.

"Anddddd Justin." Justin seats his marshmallow away from his face.

The camera now faces the two remaining campers, Topher and Sugar. Sugar looks unconcerned, and Topher looks terrified.

Chris speaks again. "And now we have the bottom two. Topher, you pretty much lost both parts of the challenge for your team. Plus, I hate you. Sugar, I don't really like you either. However, Topher says his failure is your fault, so I like you a little bit more now. But alas, the final decision is not mine to make, so the person going home tonight is...

The suspenseful music builds up for the results to be read. Chris cuts it off and says, "Yeah, no need for all that, it's totally Topher going home tonight. Sugar, here's your marshmallow."

Sugar catches her marshmallow in her mouth and swallows it whole.

Topher gets up from his seat and stomps his foot into the ground. "You're idiots, all of you! I'll never get my spin-off now because none of you listened!"

"Oh, they listened." Chris interrupts. "Just not to you. So, you know what _that_ means!"

Topher gulps.

Time skip to the Slingshot of Defeat. The Beautiful Butterflies and Chris are standing around Topher, who is in the sling shot's pocket, and Chef, who is holding it back.

"I'm telling you all, Sugar's trouble! You're all going to regret choosing her over me, mark my words!"

"Either way, _I_ sure won't regret their decision." Chris shouts. "Chef?"

Chef lets the slingshot go, sending Topher across Pahkitew.

Chris, clearly happy with the elimination tonight, now faces the camera. "Two campers down, 19 to go! Will the Beauty team regret their choice? Will the Brains' continue to win? Will Brawn remember they are in a competition? Find out next time, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"

 **•** **End of Episode Three•**

* * *

 **So there you have it, the second elimination. Here is, once again, a breakdown of the votes.**

 **Anne Maria- Topher**  
 **Dawn- Topher**  
 **Justin- Topher**  
 **Leshawna- Topher**  
 **Lindsay- Topher**  
 **Sugar- Topher**  
 **Topher- Sugar**

* * *

 **These first few chapters are going to be** ** _long,_** **mostly because there are so many characters to include. Here is a breakdown of each team so far.**

 **First things first, yes, the Brawny Beavers are a big ole' mess. Out of their team of seven,** ** _four_** **of them are struggling with balancing their obvious crushes with a love of competing. As for the other three, DJ and Jasmine are thoroughly supporting their crushes and are having a grand time teasing the hell out of them for it. I picked DJ and Jasmine for this because they seemed like the kind of characters that would enjoy teaming up to get their teammates together. I also really like the idea of them bonding over their team's obliviousness. As for Eva, she's the only one focused solely on the competition. She's keeping the Brawny Beavers on their toes, as she should be. There's also some interesting alliances forming. Jo and Lightning are beginning to make peace. DJ and Jasmine are bonding, as are Brick and Sky. Not to mention that Eva's done fairly well with her temper thus far. Either way, they're doing something right, because they've been safe both eliminations.**

 **Brainy Beetles are much less complex. We have Courtney and Scarlett, who are in a shaky alliance for the sake of their own survival. Courtney may be friendlier now, but she's still going to play to win. She's trying to continue her blossoming friendships, especially with DJ and Leshawna, but she'll never be one to back down from a fight. Scarlett on the other hand is still sinister as ever, but is trying to hide it from the more clueless campers. Then we have the boys, who are bonding yet doing very little strategizing. I'm so excited to write about the drama that will definitely implode on them as the teams dwindle down in size.**

 **Finally we have the Beautiful Butterflies, who just had their first elimination. Sorry Topher lovers, but there were very few options for this team. While unstable, the girls' alliance is definitely still strong enough that they wouldn't vote off one of their own just yet. It was clear that a guy was going home. I kept Justin over Topher because Justin is at least willing to do some scheming, while Topher would be a sitting duck on his own. And since he was on the same season as Sugar, it made sense that she would target him right off the bat so none of the team knew how smart she really was.**

 **I'm currently working on the next chapter. Let me know what you think this far!**

* * *

 **Eliminated: Harold, Topher**


	5. Beauty's Only Sea Deep

**Yes, I know that it's been awhile since my last update. There were several reasons for it, one of which was I had to rewrite this chapter so many times before I was satisfied. Because I kept you all waiting so long, I have an extra-long analysis of this chapter and my thought process at the end. Please favorite, comment, read, and most importantly, enjoy!**

* * *

 **Brainy Beetles: B, Cameron, Courtney, Leonard, Scarlett, Shawn**

 **Brawny Beavers: Brick, DJ, Eva, Jasmine, Jo, Lightning, Sky**

 **Beautiful Butterflies: Anne Maria, Dawn, Justin, Leshawna, Lindsay, Sugar**

* * *

 ***Last Episode Recap***  
"Last time on Total Drama... The campers got to know each other during the first night in the cabins. Some formed alliances _(camera shows Scarlett and Courtney shaking hands),_ some made friends _(we now see the Beauty women having a group hug),_ and some tried to stay as far away from their teammates as possible _(a clip of a blushing Brick running away from the cabins is shown)._ Their challenge was a camping trip in the woods, which the Beauty team was embarrassingly bad at. The Brainy Beetles proved they weren't totally useless when they won by a landslide, and The Brawny Beavers just edged out the Beautiful Butterflies in the final race. In the end, Topher was sent home after he fell victim to Sugar's shenanigans. Will new alliances form? Will I be as happy about who goes home as I was last time? Let's hope, because it's once again time to start Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"  
 ***End Recap***

* * *

"Courtney, she's not going to get voted off. She's practically that team's glue."

"You don't know that DJ, more surprising things happen here all the time."

DJ takes a deep breath and places his hands on Courtney's shoulders. "Listen girl, I highly doubt that Leshawna's getting voted off. But either way, we gotta focus on our game. So if she was voted off, then we just have to stick together. All the way to the finale."

Courtney smiles- a genuine smile- for the first time in awhile. "You're right. Time to get into game mode."

DJ smiles back. "That's the spirit."

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"So, I think Courtney and I just made a final two deal? At least, I hope so. I think we'd be a force to be reckoned with once the merge hits"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The two hug before going to their respective cabins. The teams are starting to head outside them to see who got eliminated.

After Topher's exit, the Beautiful Butterflies walk back to their cabins. No one is particularly emotional bout the elimination, since they all saw it coming. Justin's face is scrunched up in irritation, thinking about his next move.

 ***Confessional- Justin***  
"As suspected, Topher was a perfect scapegoat in the event of the Beautiful Butterflies' defeat. The only problem now is that I have no allies... yet. The girls' alliance seems pretty tight, but I'm sure I'll be able to wiggle my way in there soon enough."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The Beauty team finally reaches their cabins. Just like last time, the other two teams are waiting for them to see who got eliminated.

"Told you it was going to be Topher!" Jo yells to Sky.

"Hey, there totally could have been a twist! We never know for sure!" Sky defends herself.

"Yeah, yeah. Cough it up, loser."

Sky reaches in her pocket and pulls out $5. She hands it to Jo, who snatches it in victory.

"Wait, who did _you_ think was going home, Sky?" Anne Maria asks the Brawn woman.

Sky pales a little. "Uhhh..."

"None of your beeswax, Jersey. This is Brawny Beavers business." Jo defends her teammate.

Sky smiles, albeit surprised that Jo came to her defense.

 ***Confessional- Jo***  
"Since Lightning and I are trying this whole "alliance" thing out, I figured it's only fair to be nice to the person he's crushing on, even if he's too dense to admit it."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Speaking of Lightning, he interjects before Anne Maria can say anything. "Ooooh, Lightning wanna get in on the bet for the next elimination!"

Jo smirks. "Like the way you think, Brightning. We'll have to get a roster going. You in, guys?" She addresses to the rest of her team.

"Uhhh, excuse me?!" Leshawna asks them. "You know your team could very well be the next one to lose, right? You don't even know what the challenge is yet!"

"True... but it's unlikely." Jo adds a laugh in for emphasis.

"Alright mates, I think that's the cue to head to bed now. I doubt Chris will let us sleep in again." Jasmine says before Jo can go any further with her insults.

Eva joins in. "Yeah, come on Beavers. We need the sleep to continue our winning streak."

The Brawny Beavers head into their cabins, save for Jasmine, who stays behind to talk to Shawn. DJ gives both Courtney and Leshawna a thumbs up before he goes in.

Courtney smiles to DJ quickly before he heads inside. She's standing next to Scarlett on their side of the cabin. Before the red head can say anything, Courtney runs over quickly to Leshawna and Lindsay.

"Hey you two, glad you didn't go home." Courtney says nervously.

Leshawna smiles slightly at the remark. "Thanks, congrats on your team's win."

Courtney's happy look turns into a playful smirk. "Yeah, we plan on doing it more often now."

"Oh girl please, now that we got rid of the load on our team, the Beautiful Butterflies are gonna be the team to beat." Leshawna quips back.

"We'll see about that..." Courtney laughs.

Lindsay smiles at the interaction. "Wow Caroline, you're a lot nicer now! Leshawna, let's invite her over for nail painting. I have like, soooo many colors."

Courtney smiles at the offer. "Thanks Lindsay, but I think Jasmine was right in saying we should all go to bed soon. Maybe tomorrow night?"

Lindsay replies with a happy "Okay!"

Leshawna says "I'll hold you to that girl. You can tell the crazy red head to come over too if you want."

Courtney says back. "I'll make sure to let her know." After that, she heads back to her cabin.

As Courtney walks inside, we see that her and Scarlett's room is decorated with lists and charts of each team. It looks like a full on FBI investigation in there.

Scarlett is crossing Topher's name of the Beautiful Butterflies' list. She turns to Courtney before she speaks.

"So, now that Topher's gone, we have two teams of six and one team of seven. How is the girls alliance on the Beauty team looking?"

Courtney breaks out of her daze to seriously address Scarlett. "Pretty good, Justin's probably the next to go if they lose again. Oh, and they invited us over to paint our nails."

"How... lovely." Scarlett says unamused. "What did you say to that?"

"I said tonight was too late, but maybe tomorrow."

"Okay, excellent. We'll join them tomorrow, assuming none of us get eliminated. You should continue your relationships with Leshawna and DJ _until_ we reach the merge. We'll need to team up with Brawn and Beauty campers to increase our odds."

"Of course, Scarlett. This isn't my first competition."

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Who would my ideal final three be? Me and two people with low intelligence and zero athletic ability. If I have it my way-which I will- Courtney will be the first one out at the merge."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"My perfect final three would be me, DJ, and Leshawna. Or Lindsay. They're my friends and can respect my competitive side without making me feel like a horrible person. Scarlett thinks that I'm going to drop them the moment the merge happens. Won't she be in for a surprise."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Meanwhile, the Brainy Beetle males are waiting for Shawn to be done talking to Jasmine. Once Jasmine notices that his friends are waiting, she tells him to go with them. They kiss before he runs off with his team to go to their tree.

Once the boys are are settled in, Leonard speaks. "It's quite nice to see that you're so happy with your fair maiden. You two are quite the pair."

Shawn blushes a little. "Thanks man, I'm really lucky to be with her. She even helped me build my zombie-proof shelter at one point!"

Leonard sighs in wonderment. "I hope one day I will be half as lucky as you."

"Me too..." Cameron mumbles quietly.

B nods in agreement.

"Oh come on you guys, it'll happen for you guys too. Don't sell yourself short! B, there's gotta be someone you're into, right?"

B shakes his head no. He's grateful that it's dark out so no one can see the red tinge on his face.

"Oh... well what about you Leonard? Cameron?"

Both also shake their heads no.

"I'm focusing all my charms and energy on the game!" Leonard declares.

"Me too... just not in those exact words." Cameron agrees.

Shawn isn't sure what to say after that. "Well... still, don't feel like there's no hope for you guys if you _do_ develop a crush."

Cameron smiles at Shawn's statement. "Thank you Shawn, that's kind of you." He giggles a little before adding, "Make sure the ladies know their knight in shining armor awaits them."

The boys collectively chuckle at this before dozing off to sleep.

While the male Brainy Beetles are sleeping, the female Brawny Beavers are still up, tucked in their beds, continuing their gambling conversation from before.

Jasmine says suggestively, "Ya know, Sky, Lightning said he'd get in the next bet. Could be a good excuse to talk to him."

Eva scoffs. "Oh please, those two talk plenty."

Sky giggles. "Eva's right. Plus, I'm focusing on the game, no boys."

Jasmine can't help but whisper "Yeah, we don't want it to be like last time."

Sky says almost too quickly. " _Especially_ not like last time."

Jo interrupts, tired of the talk of boys. "Yeah, yeah, we get it. Anyway, Sky, you in with the bet for this week?"

Sky looks a little uncomfortable "Don't you think we're going too far with this bet thing?"

Jo laughs dismissively. "Please, there's no harm in it, it's for fun. Not our fault the Beauty team can't take a joke."

"Yeah, but it's kind of... mean, I guess."

Jo is about to snap back, but then takes a deep breath to compose herself. "Okay, how about we don't do anything this week, and just see how everything goes?"

Sky's smile reappears. "Yeah, that sounds good."

 ***Confessional- Jo***  
"Man, for us being the Brawn Team, we sure do have a bunch of goody two-shoes."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

It seems that everyone on the Brawny Beavers is in a gambling mood today. But rather than simply placing bets, the three men are in a circle, playing cards.

"Lightning, do you have a King?" Brick asks.

"Sha-please, Lightning is a King!"

"...I mean the card."

"Oh. Sha-no, Go Fish."

Brick sighs. "It's kind of boring playing with three people."

DJ smirks. "I _could_ ask our teammates to join-"

"NO!" The other two shout.

"Thought so... and since it's my turn, Brick, do _you_ have a King?"

"Damn it, DJ."

After about another hour or so, all the campers are asleep. As predicted, they all got a rude awakening over the intercoms. Sirens played throughout the camps, followed by an announcement by Chris.

"Goooodddd morning campers! This is your wonderful host telling you all to get ready and head to the mess hall for breakfast. You'll hear about your next challenge there."

As expected, the Beautiful Butterflies took the longest to get ready. Lindsay, Sugar, and Justin still weren't done by the time the other three were heading out the door.

"Wait Leshawna!" Lindsay shouts. "I'm coming!" She began jumping to the door as she tried to put her boot on.

"Man, I don't got time for all this. I'm headin' over." Anne Maria says. Leshawna and Dawn wait for Lindsay to hobble over. Sugar still isn't done.

"Sugar, are you ready?" Dawn asks.

"Ya'll go ahead! I'll be over soon!" Sugar shouts. They nod and head over.

Sugar rushes to finish the last bit of makeup and waits outside the cabin for Justin to be done. Once he finally walks out, Sugar pushes Justin to the wall of the cabin and whispers to him "If you wanna stay in the game, I suggest you play along, keep your trap shut, and vote how I tell ya to in the next campfire ceremony. Sound good?"

Justin nods in a silent agreement.

"Great! I'm gonna go get breakfast! Wait five minutes before you head over." Sugar walks over to the dining hall before Justin and respond with any questions.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"So I knowww us Beauty girls got an alliance goin' on, but Justin's a vote with no allies! That means I can use him to get someone else out!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Justin***  
"Okay, I can see what Topher meant when he said that Sugar could be kind of scary. But she could be my way in, so I'm gonna have to trust her... for now."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

By the time Justin makes it to the dining hall, all of the other campers are there. To his surprise, all the teams are sitting at separate tables. Justin grabs his tray and sits next to Leshawna and Lindsay.

"No Courtney or DJ today?" Justin asks. Leshawna ignores him, but Lindsay speaks up.

"Sarah over there said the Brains team had to sit together. Them Edith said the Bronze team had to do the same thing."

"Huh?" Justin asked, turning to Leshawna. She still doesn't speak to him, so Dawn answers for her.

"Scarlett said the Brainy Beetles had to sit together to discuss strategy. Then Eva said that if they were sitting as a team, then so were the Brawny Beavers. So now we're all at different tables."

Justin lets out a blunt "Huh". Seeing a window of opportunity, he tries to make conversation. "Well, since it's just our team, perhaps _we_ should discuss strategy as well?"

Leshawna finally speaks. "Great idea! I have a plan- if we lose, let's vote out the guy that pushed me off a cliff."

"Works for me." Anne Maria says, not looking up from her food.

Sugar nods her head, but gives Justin a wink when the team isn't looking. Justin just gulps loudly.

What Sugar doesn't realize is that Anne Maria did in fact notice the pair's quiet exchange.

 ***Confessional- Anne Maria***  
"So, pretty much _everyone_ on our team hates Justin right now, which is freakin' hilarious. Howeva', Sugar's been actin' shifty too, and I ain't about that. Maybe she should be the one to go before Justin."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

On the other hand, the Brainy Beetles are at their own table strategizing.

"I'd say our best bet for the next challenge is to align with another team to ensure the third team's defeat." Scarlett whispers.

Cameron looks down at the table and lets out quietly, "That sounds... kind of mean."

Scarlett glares at him. "It's not mean, it's smart. Then we have a greater chance of not going home."

Shawn lets out a deep breath. "I hate to say this, but... I agree with Scarlett. If we team up with the Brawny Beavers, there's no way we can lose."

Scarlett squints at Shawn in confusion. "And _why_ would our alliance be with the Brawny Beavers?"

Shawn is completely baffled at this remark. "Um, because my _girlfriend_ is on that team?"

"Scarlett, you did say we should align with _a team_. You didn't specify which one" Courtney offers.

"Yes, I meant with the Beautiful Butterflies. Not only are the Brawny Beavers' the strongest team, but they're the only ones that haven't gone to a Campfire Ceremony yet. Not to mention, they were literally _betting_ on who would go home. They're playing for themselves."

Shawn stands up, placing his hands on the table and leaning in towards Scarlett. "There is no way I'm aligning against Jasmine. End of story."

 ***Confessional- Shawn***  
"Scarlett's crazy if she thinks I'm going to go against Jasmine. I'm not risking her going home for Scarlett's sake."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Scarlett and Shawn are glaring at each other, which is making the rest of their team uncomfortable. Courtney puts a hand on Shawn's shoulder as a sign for him to sit back down.

"Okay everyone, how about we table this issue for now? Let's see what the challenge is first and go from there?" Courtney says in a soothing tone.

Shawn sits back down. "Fine." He says bluntly.

Scarlett returns the favor with a "Fine" of her own.

 ***Confessional- Leonard***  
"Wow, who would've thought Courtney would be the sane one on our team?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

At the other side of the dining hall, the Brawny Beavers are all focusing on their meal, barely sharing a glance with each other. Eva takes the initiative to glance around the hall and sees that all the other teams are in deep conversation.

She clears her throat to grab her team's' attention. "So uh, shouldn't we also be discussing strategy?"

DJ shrugs. "Um, keep doing what we've been doing?"

"Works for me." Jo says, her mouth full of food.

Eva rolls her eyes. "Yeah but, shouldn't we have some sort of plan in place?"

Lightning looks up for the first time since the meal started. "Sha-yeah, but we keep winning. We haven't lost a teammate yet. Lightning says just keep being winners!"

DJ pats Lightning on the back. "Good plan dude. Now, do we have salt here?" Brick holds up the salt shaker. "Brick, pass the salt."

At that moment, Chris bursts through the door. "Gooooodd mornnninnggg campers!" he shouts. "Are we ready to begin our next challenge?"

"Ugh..." the campers collectively groan.

"That's the spirit!" Chris says. "So, everyone change into their swimsuits and meet at the dock in 20 minutes!"

Lindsay raises her hand. Chris groans in annoyance.

" _Yes_ Lindsay?" He asks.

"My mom says I can't go in the water for 30 minutes after I eat or I could get sick." Lindsay says matter-of-factly.

"Oh yeah, my mom says that too!" Sugar yells.

"I ain't gettin sick!" Anne Maria shouts.

"Zip it!" Chris shouts. "Alright, _fine._ Everyone meet at the dock in _30_ minutes."

Just as Chris commanded, all the campers were at the dock in their swimsuits by the time the half hour was up. Scarlett made it a point to wait for Sugar at the cabin, since she knew Sugar would be one of the last campers to leave.

"Lovely morning, isn't it Sugar?" Scarlett asks the beauty queen.

Sugar scoffs. "Look missy, don't think I don't remember you tryin' to kill us last season. Whatever you gotta say, say it."

Scarlett smirks. "Very well. How's the female alliance on the Beauty team?"

Sugar glares in suspicion. "Why, what's it to ya?"

"Just wondering. A five-person alliance is pretty powerful, but it'll only get you so far. After all, there'll only be one winner. And once the merge hits, _everyone_ will be trying to get rid of your group."

Sugar stops walking and looks directly at Scarlett. "I know what'll happen when the merge hits. What are ya trying to get at?"

"Sugar, I'm trying to form a partnership. Something that will benefit both of us."

"Sorry lady, I don't swing that way."

Scarlett rolls her eyes. "I mean an _alliance._ Strictly professional. We protect each other once the merge hits."

Sugar smiles menacingly at her former rival. "I'm interested. And how would this alliance work while we're still in teams?"

Scarlett smiles back. "That's the best part. Until then, we work to get rid of the Brawny Beavers. They're too strong to compete with on an individual level."

Sugar squeals in excitement. "Now that is an offer I can't refuse! I accept!"

Scarlett extends her hand out to shake, but Sugar jumps into a bear hug instead.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Sure, Sugar was a skillful manipulator last season. But at the end of the day, she's still a moronic pageant queen that caves into temptation all too easily. A.k.a., a perfect candidate to take to the final two. Sorry Courtney, but better the devil you know than the one you don't."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Shawn can't help but notice the two villains from his season walking to the dock together.

 ***Confessional- Shawn***  
"I don't trust Sugar, and I _definitely_ don't trust Scarlett. Seeing those two together is bad news, especially after our conversation at breakfast. I gotta warn Jasmine!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Shawn goes up to the Brawn team and pulls Jasmine aside without so much as a word to anyone else.

"Shawn, what the hell!" Jasmine shouts. "That was rude!"

"Sorry, but I need to talk to you, _alone_ and _quickly._ " Shawn replies.

Jasmine calms down after she sees her boyfriend's panicked expression. "Okay, what's up?"

"It's Scarlett. She wanted us to team up with the Beautiful Butterflies to get your team to lose, and she's walking this way with Sugar now. I think they made a deal or something."

"WHAT?!" Jasmine yells. Shawn holds her hands and tries to shush her before she gets everyone's attention.

"We gotta work together so that either the Beauty or Brains team loses." Shawn says quietly.

"The Brains team? Shawn are you sure?"

Shawn glances over to his team. "Yeah, I think I have the votes to send Scarlett home. Even Courtney doesn't seem that attached to her, we might get a unanimous vote."

Jasmine seems unconvinced, but can't think of an alternative. "Okay, let's see what the challenge is first, and go from there. I won't tell the Brawny Beavers anything until we know for sure what we're doing."

Shawn smiles a little. "Okay, lets go back to our teams." He starts to walk back, only to have Jasmine pull him into a deep kiss before she walks off herself.

 ***Confessional-Jasmine***  
"I have, the BEST boyfriend ever... but in all seriousness, Scarlett, you messed with the wrong team. You're going down!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The Brawny Beavers look even more confused after Jasmine walks back from her conversation with Shawn.

"What was all that about?" Eva asks.

Jasmine smiles. "Oh nothing. Just reminding me he loves me."

"Awwww" DJ and Sky say together.

Jo scoffs. Lightning and Brick both look down and say nothing.

Eva just rolls her eyes and says "Ew."

 ***Confessional- Eva***  
"Okay seriously, being around all these couples everyday is becoming incredibly nauseating."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

When the campers get a good look at the water, they're confused. Nothing about the area indicates that they're about to take part in one of Chris' outlandish challenges. All they see is a circle in the water. However, on the dock there is a large box covered by a tarp, indicating that there is more to the challenge.

Finally, a motor boat appears with Chris and Chef. All side conversations abruptly end as the campers turn to face the boat. Chris pulls out his beloved megaphone and begins to speak into it.

"Alllllrightyyyy campers! Everyone ready for the next challenge?"

His questions is once again met with a collective groan.

"Ahh, music to my ears!" McLean replies.

"Just get on with it, McLean!" Eva shouts.

Instead of answering Eva, Chris turns to Chef. "Chef, care to explain the challenge?" he asks.

Chef smiles devilishly and grabs the microphone from Chris.

"Alright fools!" Chef shouts. "Today, we're having a good old-fashion chicken fight!"

"Chicken, huh?" Jo nudges Sky. "DJ and Courtney will be great at that."

"HEY!" DJ and Courtney shout in unison, despite being a good distance away from each other.

"Um, mister Chef sir?" Lindsay asks timidly.

Chef rolls his eyes. "Lindsay, I've known you for five seasons. Just call me Chef."

"Okay! But Mr. Chef, what's a chicken fight?"

"I was getting to that, if you let me." Chef replies snidely. He takes a deep breath before continuing. "A chicken fight is when one person sits on another person's shoulders, and wrestles another team in the same position."

"Oooo, fighting! I can get into that!" Sugar yells. She does a high kick towards the Brainy Beetles. She is about to throw a punch to them before Dawn holds her hand as a signal to stop.

"No Sugar, chicken fights take place in the water." Dawn calmly says.

"Ohhh.." Sugar sighs, looking rather disappointed.

"My god, some of you are stupid." Chef says in disbelief.

"Tell me about it." Courtney and Scarlett mutter quietly back, shocked that they had the same thought.

"Anyway..." Chef interrupts. "Only a few of you will participate in today's challenge."

"WHAT?!" The campers yell in various stages of shock. The Brawny Beavers in particular look devastated.

"Yup," Chef says with a grimace, "This challenge takes place in just two rounds. The first round will be a three-way chicken fight. A pair from each team will face off, last team standing wins. The two remaining two teams will then compete in a sudden death chicken fight. The team that wins that round will be safe, and the losers will go to elimination. Any questions?"

Chris raises his hand.

"From the campers."

Chris lowers his hand. None of the campers raise their hand.

"Alright, good. Now, time to pick the pairs..."

The three teams huddle together to decide who should compete in the first round. The Beauty team is weighing the pros and cons of each side, and the Brains have decided on B as the base player. The Brawn team bickers about who should go. Lightning, Jasmine, and DJ are all options for the base, while Sky, Jo, and Eva are all campaigning to be the top.

Seeing that the argument is going nowhere, Jasmine decides to let the cat out of the bag.

"Alright mates, listen... we need to put egos aside and just pick the two physically strongest players for our team. Scarlett and Sugar are scheming to get our team to lose."

Eva's face turns red with anger. "I think the fuck not!" she yells.

Jo looks just as angry. "Oh yeah, beauty queen and the ginger are in for a world of pain!"

Sky tries to decrease the tension by offering her suggestion. "If we're going by the strongest, I think Lightning should be the base and either Jo or Eva should be on top."

Before anyone can reply, Chris sighs "Awww," in faux admiration. "As much as I love seeing the drama that's about to unfold, I have to break it to you that you guys won't be picking your pairs."

"Huh?" They all say in unison.

"Nopeee!" Chris chirps happily. "It appears fate will decide the teams instead. Chef?"

Chef unveils the box, with turns out to be a slot machine with three sections. When the camera zooms in, you can see that each slot represents a team.

"We will spin for who's going to play, meaning you all have absolutely no say in who you play with or against. Hopefully none of you play against someone you care about." Chris chuckles.

Jasmine and Shawn glance at each other from across the dock.

"But enough of that." Chris blabbers on, "It's time to pick the teams for the first round! Care to spin Chef?"

Chef nods and moves himself to the slot machine. He gives the handle a quick pull, and the names begin to spin. It goes around a couple times before slowing down.

As it slows down, Chris announces, "And the first three campers competing in Round 1 are..."

The machine stops on Courtney, Sky, and Lindsay's names,

"Courtney, for the Brainy Beetles, Sky for the Brawny Beavers, and Lindsay for the Beautiful Butterflies!"

Courtney smirks in satisfaction. Sky has a determined look on her face, and Lindsay looks nervous.

Chris continues. "And your partner will be..."

Chef gives the machine another crank. When the first section stops, we see Scarlett's name.

"Scarlett, for the Brainy Beetles!" Chris yells. Courtney's sinister smirk grows wider. Scarlett's expression matches hers.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"This pairing couldn't have gone more perfectly. Half of the cast is terrified of Scarlett. Can you say "easy win" or what?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The section for the Brawny Beavers is still moving. When it finally slows down, it looks like it's going to land on Lightning's name. Then the machine ticks one final time, and Brick's name shows instead.

"Brick the Cadet, for the Brawny Beavers!"

Brick and Sky high-five. Jo and Lightning both look devastated.

As Brick and Sky step forward, Lightning whispers to DJ, "Man, sha-why is Brick always the lucky one?"

DJ looks at his friend in confusion. "Dude, didn't you get second place your first season?"

Lightning scoffs. "Come on man, that's not the point!"

DJ pats Lightning on the back. "Right... well dude, just support her on this challenge. Sky wants to be respected as an athlete. This way you can cheer for her and show you respect her."

Lightning brightens up. "You're right!"

DJ smiles. "Of course I'm right. I'm always right."

The two are so immersed in their side conversation they almost miss the announcement of the last contestant. Jasmine has to grab their attention to pull them back into reality. Everyone else is paying attention to the slot machine.

"And the final competitor for the Beautiful Butterflies is..."

The machine stops on Dawn's name.

"Dawn!"

Dawn and Lindsay look at each other with an encouraging smile.

 ***Confessional- Lindsay***  
"Okay, so Dawson and I may not be like, jocks or whatever- but I'd still say we're strong campers! Hopefully kick some serious Beetle and Beaver butt!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Alright maggots!" Chef yells. "All the chosen people get in the water!"

The pairs all do as their told. Dawn gets on Lindsay's shoulders easily, as does Sky for Brick.

"You're gonna have to do the brunt of the pushing, Sky." Brick says to his teammate, who is currently on his shoulders. "I don't think I'll be able to hurt a lady."

Sky looks unamused. "I wouldn't classify Scarlett as a lady, but okay Brick."

The Brainy Beetle women decide to go with Courtney on Scarlett's shoulders. "I can practically taste that win" Courtney says happily.

Scarlett looks up with a sinister glare. "Oh trust me, this isn't even a question."

Chris speaks into his beloved megaphone. "Alright campers, get into position! If the top person hits the water, your team is out! Last team standing tall wins it all! Ready..."

All the pairs get into position.

"Set... and... Go!"

Courtney and Sky start going at it immediately, with both of the girls holding their own. Lindsay and Dawn are about to strike, until Scarlett pulls on Lindsay's hair from below.

"Ow!" Lindsay yells. She moves to check her hair, but accidentally lets go of Dawn in the process. She falls down within seconds.

"Andddd the Beautiful Butterflies are out!" Chris yells. "No surprises there."

The rest of their team on the docks look understandably disappointed.

"Oh come on!" Anne Maria shouts. "You two's weren't even tryin'!"

"Watch it Anne Maria." Leshawna glares at her. "Don't be talking about my white girls like that."

Sugar decides to add to the drama. "Yeah, come on girl, they tried their best!"

Anne Maria glares at her. "Can it porky!"

Sugar looks ready to strangle her. "Why you little-"

Leshawna holds her back to prevent her from doing anything brash.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Well, looky here... I think I know who's gonna be eliminated today. Justin might'a caught a break after all!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional-** **Leshawna***  
"Anne Maria needs to cool her attitude. First she insults my friends and her alliance members, and then she insults Sugar's weight! She's asking to be voted off at this point."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Lindsay and Dawn swim back to the docks. No surprise that Leshawna is the one that helps to pull Lindsay out from the water. After seeing Lindsay's ashamed look on her face she gives Lindsay a hug and tells her she did great. Lindsay begins to smile again.

 ***Confessional-Lindsay***  
"I'm so lucky to have a friend like Leshawna! I'm definitely to compete harder in the next challenge so our team wins and we can both be safe!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

What is surprising, however, is how fast B moves to the edge of the dock to help Dawn out from the water.

Dawn flashes her old teammate the most heartwarming smile. "Why thank you B! Glad to know you're still as wonderful as ever."

B nods with a blush on his face. Cameron squint in curiosity at the scene from a distance.

 ***Confessional- Cameron***  
"Hm, does B like Dawn? My observations would indicate so, but I should probably ask him before making any final conclusions. Not that I'll actually expect a verbal answer."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"B and I got along so well on Revenge of the Island, it really is a shame that we aren't on the same team again!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- B***  
B's while face is tinted with red from embarrassment. He feels the heat of his face and hides himself from the camera.  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Meanwhile, Courtney and Sky are still fighting, and it's pretty evenly matched. Not one to depend on fate, Scarlett hatches a plan. She gives Brick a vicious glare, which terrifies him.

He manages to stutter out, "I, um... I don't wanna hurt you..."

Scarlett quips back, "But I do." With that, she knees him right in the kiwis. Brick shrieks in pain and falls into the water, taking Sky with him.

"And with that, the winner of the first round is the Brainy Beetles! Congratulations, you are all safe tonight!"

"Woohoo!" The two ladies cheer, as do the rest of their team. Scarlett slides Courtney off her shoulders and the two swim to shore.

"Low blow, red!" Jo yells to Scarlett as she reaches the dock.

"Literally." DJ mumbles lowly. He earns a giggle from Jasmine, Eva, and Lightning, and a glare from Jo.

Brick finally recovers from the hit, and Sky helps him to the dock.

"It's okay Brick, you did a really good job. We'll get them next time!" Sky says in her usual comforting tone.

Brick just looks at her and smiles. "Thanks Sky, you're a great friend."

Sky smiles back. Jo looks like she's ready to strangle someone. Jasmine and DJ are smiling in amusement.

 ***Confessional- Jo & Lightning***  
"Okay, I've had it." Jo yells to the camera. "Brick and Sky can not be friends. They're do-gooder attitude will damage the team, right Lightning?"

Lightning scratches the back of his head and shrugs. "Lightning doesn't care about that, he just doesn't want them to be a couple."

Jo looks more annoyed than ever. "Right, Lightning?!"

Lightning begins to look genuinely scared. "Oh yeah, right." He says quickly.  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Hey," Courtney yells to Sky. When Sky looks in her direction, Courtney extends her hand to her competitor. "You did great out there."

"You're just saying that because your team won." Eva says bitterly.

"I could not say anything at all." Courtney replies. "Like how I wasn't saying anything to you."

Before Eva can reply, Sky returns the handshake. "Thanks Courtney, you did well too."

Courtney smiles. "I think this won't be the last time we face off against each other."

Sky smiles back. "I look forward to it."

Courtney leaves to join the Brains in their celebration. When Sky turns back to her team, Lightning's right in front of her.

"Lawyer-girl's right. You did great." Lightning says, though he is looking down at the dock the entire time.

Sky's smile grows wider. "Thank you, Lightning."

The jock is about to respond, but Chris' voice brings them back to reality.

"Alright," Chris announces, "and our final battle will commence between the Brawny Beavers and the Beautiful Butterflies!"

The two teams groan. Shawn gives Jasmine a sympathetic look from afar.

 ***Confessional- Shawn***  
"Well, since we couldn't get the Brains' team to lose, our only hope is that the Brawns will beat the Beauties. Maybe they'll wise up and send Sugar home."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Again, Chef goes to the slot machine, this time closing off the first section where the Brain team's names were shown.

"Alright campers, let's see who the second round of competitors are!"

Chef pulls the lever on the machine, the two teams waiting in anticipation to see who's competing.

The Beautiful Butterflies' section lands on Justin's name. The Brawny Beavers' lands on Brick for the second time.

"Justin for the Beauties, and Brick for the Brawn... again!" Chris yells. The Brawny Beavers are all surprised.

"Brick literally got kicked in the balls not even five minutes ago! How do you expect him to compete again?" Jo screams to the host.

"Don't. Question. The Machine." Chris answers. "As I was saying, let's see who your teammates will be."

Chef cranks the lever for the final time. It seems to be spinning more to heighten the tension.

As it slows down, the names that appear are Anne Maria and Jo.

"Anne Maria for the Beautiful Butterflies and Jo for the Brawny Beavers!" Chris shouts.

"Damn it." Anne Maria says under her breath.

"Huh?" Jo sputters out.

"Enough of the commentary!" Chef yells. "Get your sorry butts in the water!"

Jo and Brick both jump in quickly without a second thought. Anne Maria slowly dips herself in, covering her hair as she finally hits the water. Justin's about to dive in until he hears Sugar mutter "lose" to him.

"What?" He whispers back.

"Lose." Sugar repeats. "Lose, but make yourself look good. More importantly, make Anne Maria look bad."

Justin is about to question it, but then he remembers that Sugar told him not to earlier. Knowing his safety is on the line, he just nods and jumps in.

Jo and Brick seem to be bickering, as per usual.

"I'm the base, you're on top!" Jo tells him.

"No!" Brick says defiantly. "I can lift you! I lifted Sky!"

"Sky weighs about as much as Chris' megaphone, I'd be ashamed if you couldn't lift her!"

"Damn it Jo!" Brick yells. He goes under water and swoops Jo up onto his shoulders. "Can we just compete as the team I know we're capable of being?"

"Um, yeah... sure." Jo says with a blush on her face.

 ***Confessional- Jo***  
"I didn't want to be on the shoulders because I knew I would be flustered."

After realizing what she said, she gives the camera a glare. Both of her hands are now balled up into fists.

"I swear to god, if you air this, I'll-"

The camera goes to static.  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Justin crouches down so Anne Maria can get onto his shoulders.

"Don't even think 'bout dropping me." Anne Maria demands.

"Oh don't worry, I won't." Justin says cooly. "I'd hate for you to get your hair wet."

"Whaaa?" Anne Maria grabs onto her hair for protection.

This time, it's Chef that yells into the megaphone.

"ALRIGHT, get yo selves into position! Get set and... hurt each other!"

The two pairs begin to do just that. Brick and Justin are fairly evenly matched. Jo looks ready to destroy Anne Maria.

"Not the face, not the hair!" Anne Maria whines.

"You're going down, Jersey!" Jo yells as she tries to tackle Anne Maria to the water.

"Hey Anne Maria," Justin says sinisterly. "I think I see some fly away hairs."

"WHAT?!" The Jersey girl shouts. As she attempts to pat her hair down, Jo gives her one final shove, tossing her into the water.

"Anne Maria's down, the Brawny Beaver's come in second!" Chef yells.

The Brawny Beavers still at the docks begin to celebrate their victory. Jo and Brick hug each other in the water before Jo pushes Brick away.

Brick just smiles at her. "Good job Jo, we... we make a great pair."

Jo scoffs and looks away from him,but not without the faintest hint of a smile on her face. "Thanks, Brick-for-brains. Let's go join the rest of our team."

The two do just that, and are met with warm smiles and hugs from their team members.

The Beautiful Butterflies, on the other hand, are understandably not in a happy mood. When Anne Maria and Justin swim to the docks, they are met with icy stares and annoyed teammates.

"Sorry ladies," Justin says somewhat sincerely. "I swear to God, I tried my best."

"We know." Leshawna says bluntly. She looks to Anne Maria, as though demanding an answer from her.

Anne Maria just rolls her eyes. "Oh what, so I didn't try my best?! As if I'd sacrifice my looks for a stupid challenge."

Leshawna looks ready to go into full ass-whooping mode, but Lindsay shakes her head to persuade her otherwise. So instead, she silently turns around and heads back to their cabin, with Lindsay in tow behind her.

"Leshawna, wait!" Lindsay yells.

"What Lindsay?" Leshawna responds bluntly.

"Well, how are we gonna vote? Dustin actually did kind of well in this challenge, and Annabelle was just... bad."

This time, Leshawna goes into deep thought for a moment before opening her mouth. "I... I don't know. I'll vote however you vote. What's your opinion?"

Lindsay gives herself her own moment to think about her options. Leshawna can practically see a lightbulb go off in her head. The blonde gives her a slightly sinister smile.

"Well..."

* * *

 _*Campfire Ceremony*_  
Chris makes his way to his makeshift podium. Chef is beside him with a large TV- uncommon for this season's campfire ceremony. Chris gives the Beautiful Butterflies a disapproving nod before speaking.

"Well Beautiful Butterflies, here we are at the Campfire Ceremony. I'd explain the rules, but you've already been here before. And apparently, you still don't know how to work together."

"Huh?" Sugar asks the host in confusion.

"Well Sugar, after reading the votes, I would say that you all either A), enjoy watching me have to work more, or B), have no idea what you're doing. Though personally I think it's some combination of the two."

Justin, Anne Maria, Dawn, and Sugar all have puzzled looks on their faces. Only Leshawna and Lindsay know what's about to happen, and their stoic faces show it.

Chris rolls his eye in disbelief. "Well normally, we keep your voting confessionals secret... unless they're hilarious to watch. Or in cases like this."

The host now turns to his partner-in-crime. "Chef, care to roll the tape?"

Chef just nods and presses the "Play" button on the TV remote. One-by-one, all of the voting confessionals from the night are shown.

 ***Voting Confessional- Justin***  
Justin holds up Anne Maria's picture.

"Sorry Anne Maria, voting for you is my only chance at safety."  
 ***Voting Confessional Ends***

 ***Voting Confessional- Anne Maria***  
Anne Maria holds up Justin's picture.

"Pretty Boy, you were good as gone the moment you pushed Leshawna off that cliff."  
 ***Voting Confessional Ends***

 ***Voting Confessional- Sugar***  
Sugar has Anne Maria's picture up.

"A five girl alliance doesn't _need_ five girls, does it? Also, you called me porky!"  
 ***Voting Confessional Ends***

 ***Voting Confessional- Dawn***  
Dawn looks confused as ever, but is holding up Anne Maria's picture.

"Lindsay and Leshawna told me to vote this way. I can't say it's a bad choice."  
 ***Voting Confessional Ends***

 ***Voting Confessional- Leshawna***  
Leshawna has Justin's picture up.

"Boy, Lindsay has some crazy ideas. But if it involves me voting for you, I'll always be game."  
 ***Voting Confessional Ends***

 ***Voting Confessional- Lindsay***  
Lindsay doesn't have a picture up yet.

"Okay, so since Annabeth and Jerry have both been kind of terrible, I thought it'd be fun to have them fight it out in a tie breaker. That way we can see who really wants to be here! Isn't that exciting?!"

And with that, she shows the camera Justin's picture.  
 ***Voting Confessional Ends***

After seeing the confessionals, Leshawna nods her head in satisfaction. Lindsay looks incredibly pleased with herself. Everyone else just looks shocked.

"A, a tie!?" Anne Maria shouts. "You decided to vote for ME over that idiot?" She yells to Sugar and Dawn, as she points to Justin.

"Well, a tie seemed like a good idea." Lindsay suggests. "So we know who really wants to be here."

Now the Jersey girl just looks plain angry. "Okay, you know what, bring it! And once I win, you'll all be sorry!"

"Yeah, that won't be necessary." Chris interrupts. "Because you're BOTH eliminated!"

"What?!" The entire Beauty team yells together. No one expected that to happen.

"Yup, I didn't think of a tie breaker ahead of time-" Chris says matter-of-factly, "and I'm not particularly fond of either of you anyway. So Justin, Anne Maria- the Slingshot of Defeat awaits!"

Just as he said, this time the Slingshot of Defeat has both Justin and Anne Maria inside it. Both are struggling and pushing each other away.

"Mark my words," Justin says to the remainder of his old team. "I _will_ be back, and you'll be sorry-"

"Ya'll better watch your backs!" Anne Maria interrupts.

Before they can say anything else, Chef lets go of the slingshot, and sends the two flying over the lake.

The camera now focuses on Chris as he gives his final spiel. "And we're down two more brats in this crazy fight for a million dollars! Will there be more double eliminations? Probably. Will I care? Probably not. Either way, find out next time on Total Drama... Brains! Versus Brawn! Versus Beauty!"

 **•End of Episode Four•**

* * *

 **Okay everyone, our first double elimination of the story. Yes, I did indeed say FIRST, meaning that there will be more in the future. I won't say how many, but I will say that there may be chance for some eliminated player(s) to return in a later chapter, so alas, hope is not lost!**

* * *

 **You got a glimpse of it already through the voting confessionals, but here is a complete breakdown of how this vote went:**  
 **Justin- Anne Maria**  
 **Anne Maria- Justin**  
 **Sugar- Anne Maria**  
 **Dawn- Anne Maria**  
 **Leshawna- Justin**  
 **Lindsay- Justin**

* * *

 **So... Justin and Anne Maria. Part of the reason this chapter took so long is because I spent so much time rewriting it. Truth be told, originally it was going to be just Anne Maria eliminated this round, and Justin was going to go in the next chapter. I decided to eliminate them together for two reasons. 1), Justin's elimination would have basically been a repeat of Anne Maria's- Sugar scheming, Dawn trying to maintain the peace, and the ultimate decision coming down to Leshawna and Lindsay. 2), Leshawna, Lindsay, Dawn, and Sugar were always going to be the core four of the Beautiful Butterflies. That's just how it was always planned. With the three others eliminated, I now have more time to dedicate to their development. Considering the fact that this is an elimination-style game, I'm going to need that time. Please know that the Beautiful Butterflies will NOT be the new Team Victory! If anything, this double elimination allows the Beauty women to grow and be stronger than ever.**

 **While this chapter set the stage for the "rebirth" of the Beautiful Butterflies, the other teams are by no means being pushed to side. There is still a gender divide on the Brainy Beetles, even if it isn't a hostile one... yet. While Scarlett and Courtney are getting most of the focus right now, we're going to see more of the boys very soon. The Brains' team dynamic is so interesting to write. As of now, Courtney, Scarlett, Shawn, and B all have connections to the other teams, and they're stronger than the alliances on their own team (with the exception of B and Cameron, who are very close). When we see who hits the merge, the Brains (or the remaining ones at least) will be crucial. And let me know what you think of the interactions between Shawn & Jasmine and B & Dawn, I'm very curious! **

**As for the Brawny Beavers, this was more of their "chill" chapter, even if they almost lost the chicken fight. The friendship dynamics on this team are great to write, I'm enjoying every minute of it! Jasmine and DJ are our wonderful goofballs, and Eva is surprisingly the voice of reason. A little OOC for all of them, but I think it works given their team. DJ and Lightning are beginning to form a friendship too. Their differences in personalities will definitely be a plot point in future chapters, keep an eye out! We are getting some very small progress from Jo and Brick, as much as I want them to just kiss already! Then there is also some insight as to why Lightning is attracted to Sky and vice versa. Sky wants a guy that will appreciate her for her athleticism, and not just her looks. Lightning is clearly smitten with her, particularly because her athletic abilities make her stand out. Be warned though, those two are not going to be waltzing into a happily ever after anytime soon. I love happy endings, but this pair is going to earn it!**

 **Let me know what you think of this chapter, and don't be afraid to offer your comments/suggestions, I love reading them all!**

* * *

 **Eliminated: Harold, Topher, Anne Maria, Justin**


	6. Runaway Bribe

**Another day, another chapter! So excited for this one, though its very conversation- heavy. Personally, I think this is the chapter that really establishes the tone for the rest of the book. Please know that the eliminations from here on out are only going to get more difficult, because I truly like all the characters in this story. As always, please like, comment, and enjoy!**

* * *

 **Brainy Beetles: B, Cameron, Courtney, Leonard, Scarlett, Shawn**

 **Brawny Beavers: Brick, DJ, Eva, Jasmine, Jo, Lightning, Sky**

 **Beautiful Butterflies: Dawn, Leshawna, Lindsay, Sugar**

* * *

 ***Last Episode Recap***  
"Last time on Total Drama... The campers were forming alliances like it was their job... which it kind of is. Despite Scarlett and Courtney having an alliance with each other, Courtney made a final two deal with DJ, while Scarlett made one with Sugar. Speaking of Scarlett, she hatched a plan to team up with the Beautiful Butterflies in order to ensure the Brawny Beavers' defeat. However, this didn't sit well with Shawn, whose girlfriend Jasmine is a Brawny Beaver herself. At the challenge, a three-way chicken fight, the Brainy Beetles came out on top, while the Beautiful Butterflies flopped their way into another Campfire Ceremony. Lindsay and Leshawna tried to force a tiebreaker between Justin and Anne Maria, but both ended up being sent home instead. Unsurprisingly, no one's upset by this. Will anyone's plans actually end the way they planned? Will the Beautiful Butterflies finally win something? Find out now on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"  
 ***End Recap***

* * *

The Brainy Beetles and Brawny Beavers are both outside the cabins, waiting to see who got eliminated. Unlike the usual trend of simply standing by your team's cabin, the two teams are intermingling. Jo, Eva, Brick, and Lightning are all playing basketball, while B is refereeing the game. Jo and Lightning are one team, as are Brick and Eva. Shawn and Jasmine are off on their own. Seeing this, Scarlett pulls Leonard aside to be alone as well. Courtney, Cameron, DJ, and Sky are all chatting on the sidelines of the game.

"I don't know DJ, I don't think the basketball would look better in green. I'd say orange is a good look for it," Sky says.

"Psh, please!" DJ scoffs. "Just imagine a bright, neon green basketball on the court."

Courtney squints and tilts her head to the side. "Meh, all I can see is an oversized tennis ball."

"What about, like a forest green? Ooh, or maybe teal?" Sky suggests.

"Teal would be interesting. My personal vote would be for purple." Cameron adds in.

Courtney gives Cameron a nod of approval. "Yes, purple! I like that better, no green."

"So, I hate to be that person..." Sky says quietly, "but shouldn't we be watching their basketball game or something?"

"Ew, no." DJ replies in a mock disgust. "We do enough sports in challenges. No Campfire Ceremony means down time for us."

Cameron giggles. "And debating the proper colors of sporting equipment."

DJ nods. "Exactly."

Sky doesn't say anything else, instead opting for a light chuckle followed by a smile to the other three campers.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"I don't want to jinx anything, but I feel so much more comfortable in this season then I did the last time I competed. No one's constantly over me or pressuring me into something I don't want. I usually don't do alliances, but maybe I should reconsider. I'd like to stay as long as possible."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

As that four continue to talk about anything besides the game, Jo passes the ball to Lightning, who in turn makes an overdramatic slam dunk.

Lightning hollers. "Sha-bam!" He points to Eva and Brick "You been struck by _The Lightning!_... and Jo."

Jo laughs and gives Lightning a high five. "Nice shot, Brightning, we're killing this game."

B blows his whistle to get the pair's attention. When they turn around, he points to the hoop.

"What could he possibly have done wrong? That shot was awesome!" Jo yells at the silent man.

Eva rolls her eyes. "We can't do slam dunks, idiots."

Jo looks baffled. "Why the fuck not?"

Brick points to the hoop. "That's our only basketball hoop on the whole island. The slam dunks will break it."

"Psh, whatever man. We'll still beat you!" Lightning retorts.

"Yeah, Brick-for-Brains, bring it!" Jo agrees.

The two jocks chuckle at their own remarks. Brick doesn't say anything, and instead just scowls.

 ***Confessional- Brick***  
"Sooo Lightning and Jo are being all buddy-buddy lately, and I need to know why! Yes, I should be happy that my teammates are getting along, but those two hated each other! Why so friendly now? I mean, come on, Lightning would be terrible for Jo, right? Right?!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Jo***  
"Yeah, I'd say Lightning and I make a good team. And no, that does _not_ mean we are friends! We are alliance members! Though, if us getting along annoys Brick, then I'd say it's a win-win for me."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Before the basketball game started, Jasmine and Shawn went off on their own. Seeing as they're dating, no one really thought anything of it.

In reality, their discussion could hardly be considered romantic.

"I really think we should get my team to lose next challenge." Shawn whispers, worried that someone will overhear.

Jasmine shakes her head no. "Shawn, that's way too risky. I know Scarlett seems like the obvious choice to go if your team lost, but unexpected things always happen here. You can't trust that everyone will vote with you."

Shawn sighs. "There's no way the guys will vote against me. Courtney's in it for herself, so she'll know a losing battle when she sees one. She's not going to stick her head out for Scarlett."

Jasmine thinks for a moment before deciding what to say next. "True, but it's still too early for you to decide to throw a challenge. Maybe they voted Sugar off tonight and we won't even have to worry about it. No Sugar means Scarlett doesn't have a connection to the other team."

"Please, they're not voting off Sugar."

"Maybe not, by I think we need to see who's left on the Beauty team first. You're assuming too much and we don't even know what the challenge will be."

"You need to have more faith Jasmine. I won last season, and everyone knows by now how _she_ got eliminated."

"Shawn, this isn't last season. We aren't playing with newbies, we're playing with people that are here to win. Just... give it a little more thought. You are not throwing a challenge for my team without my approval."

Shawn's about to protest, but Jasmine silences him with a kiss.

"Now," she adds in afterwards, "can we please go back to our friends? Let's enjoy our time with them while we can."

Shawn, recognizing the fact that Jasmine doesn't want to talk about this anymore, just replies with a simple "Okay".

 ***Confessional- Shawn***  
"Can't Jasmine see I'm doing this because I love her? I know she's worried, but there's no way people will want to keep a psychopath like Scarlett around for much longer!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Shawn's thinking like this is last season. I don't trust Scarlett, and I certainly don't trust that the Brainy Beetles will vote a certain way just because Shawn tells them too."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Right after Shawn and Jasmine went off on their own, Scarlett uses the down time to talk to Leonard. She pulls him aside in the opposite direction that the couple was going.

No one except Courtney noticed they left. Since Scarlett and her are alliance members, she decides to not mention it to anyone else.

Leonard is wholly confused as to why Scarlett is pulling him away, and she doesn't say anything to calm his nerves. When she does finally stop, Leonard whips his wand out and points it in her direction.

"Stop, heathen! One more step and you will be cursed! Cursed!"

Scarlett gently pushes the fake wand away from her. "Leonard, you read me all wrong. I only want to talk."

Leonard lowers the wand. "Oh. Well, state your purpose."

"I think we can help each other get further in the game."

Leonard brightens a little. "You have peaked my interest. Continue."

Scarlett smiles back at him, even though it pains her to. "I'm sure someone of your... intelligence, can see that we have two very dangerous players on the Brainy Beetles."

"Ah yes, you and Courtney are really scary."

Scarlett rolls her eyes. "Not who I meant. I'm referring to Shawn and Cameron."

Now Leonard is really confused. "What? Oh, they don't seem so bad."

"Really? I'm surprised Leonard. Did you forget that they both won their respective seasons? Do we really want such threats in the game, much less having _both_ former winners on our team?"

Leonard looks away from the red head. "Hm, you make a fair point."

"Of course I do. Yes, those two are nice, but that's what makes them dangerous. I know Courtney and I may seem cold, but we only want to give the rest of our team a chance at success. If you join us, we can work together to vote one of them out in the event we lose a challenge."

"Are you saying... form an alliance? With you and Courtney?"

Scarlett gives him a reassuring smirk. "That's exactly what I'm saying. In fact, we trust you so much, you can even pick which one we vote for."

Leonard smiles. "You got yourself a deal! But this wizard might need more time to think about who we should vote for, if it's alright with the maiden."

Scarlett nods. "Of course. Take all the time you need. We should be getting back though, so no one gets suspicious."

Leonard agrees and the two walk back to the cabins.

 ***Confessional- Leonard***  
"Woohoo! Finally, a partnership has been formed! Needless to say, this wizard is certainly learning from his mistakes of competitions' past."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Make no mistake that in the event of our team's defeat, we _will_ be sending Shawn home. We dislike each other, and he's the only one that is adamant about voting for me. Leonard's easy to manipulate, and Courtney will vote for anyone that is not her. Now I just need to sway one more person."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Scarlett and Leonard arrive to the cabins a few minutes before Shawn and Jasmine. Courtney gives Scarlett a look of concern, to which Scarlett responds with a pleasant nod to ensure everything's fine. DJ gives a similar worried look to Jasmine, and gets a similar response.

The basketball game is continuing, with Jo and Lightning having an embarrassingly large lead (albeit with several fouls) and Eva getting mad at Brick for playing too nice.

Lightning passes the ball to Jo, who in turn makes another perfect shot into the hoop. The pair high five and B blows his whistle.

"What the hell B?! We didn't even do anything wrong that time!" Jo yells.

This time, B just points to the camp entrance.

"The Beautiful Butterflies are back!" Eva shouts.

That peaked everyone's interest, as they all turned their heads to where the Beauty Team was entering.

When Lindsay and Leshawna became visible, Courtney and DJ sighed in relief. B was equally happy to see Dawn, and Scarlett was smirking in satisfaction when Sugar gleefully skipped with her team.

Eva did a quick count in her head and realized something was off. When the Beauty team approached the cabins, she asked "Um, shouldn't there be five of you?"

 _That_ caught everyone's attention, especially when they counted and realized Eva was indeed right. There should be five of them.

Dawn quietly answers for her team. "We had a tied vote between Anne Maria and Justin, so Chris decided to send both of them home."

Everyone gasped at this, with varying degrees of shock. Courtney could practically see the wheels turning in Scarlett's head. Jasmine looked at Shawn with a mix of warning and concern. Brick look terrified, and Jo looked like a child on Christmas morning.

"Alright, double elimination!" The tomboy shouts with great enthusiasm.

"Jo!" Brick says in a loud whisper, trying to indicate that now is not the time.

Jo rolls her eyes, but nonetheless still mutters a "Sorry" to the team of four.

"No, it's fine!" Lindsay reassures the pair. "This is for the best, in fact we-"

"-we think it'll take some getting used to, but now we may be able to finally come together as a team." Leshawna finishes for Lindsay. She gives the blonde a look to not say anything else.

"But now," she continues "I'm really tired and need to go to bed. I'll see you all tomorrow."

As Leshawna head to the Beautiful Butterflies cabin, she looks to Courtney mouths "talk to you later". She looks to DJ to give a similar sentiment. They both nod in agreement.

Once Leshawna's inside, Dawn speaks up. "I'm very tired too and would like to rest. I will see you all tomorrow." Lindsay and Sugar follow suit and head into their cabin. Sugar gives Scarlett a quick wink before she disappears inside.

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"At this point, I'm trying to cover all my bases here. Lindsay is pretty much the only person I trust 100%. Courtney, DJ, and I are working together as much as we can, but they're still on opposing teams. I don't know how Dawn and Sugar are feeling after the tied vote, so I have to make sure they feel comfortable."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Once the Beautiful Butterflies are all inside, Leshawna brings the women into a huddle.

"Alright ladies... there's only four of us now, which means we have to stick together as a team. This is the alliance we started with, and this is who we're gonna end with." She says with conviction.

Lindsay looks warily at Dawn and Sugar. "I'm like, sooo sorry that we didn't tell you about the tied vote. We just weren't sure how it would go, and we didn't want you two to take the blame."

 ***Confessional- Lindsay***  
"Okay, so I know it was risky to do a tied vote and only tell Leshawna about it, but this was like, my first big game move of the season and I didn't want anyone to mess it up! That makes sense, right?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Dawn nods in response to Lindsay and Leshawna's pleas. "Our teams' energy is much more at peace now with Justin and Anne Maria gone. The Beautiful Butterflies may actually have a chance at success!"

Sugar raises her fist to the air. "Woohoo, that's what I'm talkin' about! Go Beauties!"

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"I'm in an okay position on this team, and I genuinely believe that our team will do well in the next challenge. However, I may have to start looking elsewhere for allies if I want to get far in the game. Lindsay and Leshawna's bond is too strong for me to get anywhere with them."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Leshawna and Lindsay didn't tell nobody about a tied vote. Those two are thick as thieves and need to be taken out... _eventually_. But I been' raising hell for the past few eliminations so I need'a play nice so they don't done get too suspicious."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The remaining campers outside begin to process what just happened. While double eliminations are known to occur, no one expected one this early.

"Damn, Justin and Anne Maria are both gone." DJ says to everyone.

"Wait, they said they were both eliminated because it was a tied vote, right?" Sky asks.

Cameron nods his head. "Yes, that's what Dawn told us."

That makes Sky worried. "So, does that mean that all tied votes will end that way?"

Everyone is silent. The notion makes Scarlett excited, though she tries to hide it. Leonard looks worried until Cameron speaks up again.

"Unlikely, that has the potential to get rid of too many contestants too quickly." Cameron reassures.

"I wouldn't put it past Chris." Courtney mutters.

"He wants good television, which he won't get if he sends everyone home too soon." Cameron replies in a confident manner.

Courtney pauses for a moment. "True... though either way, I'd like to not find out."

"You won't have to find out if your team votes together." Eva taunts the Brainy Beetles.

Courtney laughs at the Brawn woman. "Or we could win the next challenge, like we won the last two."

This earns a laugh from the Brainy Beetle guys.

Jo intervenes. "Speak for yourselves, _we're_ the only team that hasn't lost a member yet."

Scarlett glares at Jo. "Yes. Key word, _yet."_

"Okay!" DJ shouts before any more comments can be made. "I'm tired. So, so tired. And I think we all need to go to bed. Lightning? Brick? You guys tired?"

The two nod, as neither want to get involved in the fight that's about to escalate.

Jasmine chimes in. "I think we're all tired too. Right ladies? We can all be in better moods tomorrow."

Eva rolls her eyes. "Okay, _mom._ "

The Brawny Beavers begin to head in their cabin, leaving just the Brainy Beetles outside, though not for long.

"Um, so I think we should head to bed and we can strategize _civilly_ in the morning." Courtney suggests.

"Excellent idea, fair lady!" Leonard yells joyously. "Let us reconvene tomorrow with new battle strategies."

Everyone else agrees and begins to head to their beds (the girls) or the tree (the boys). Courtney gives Cameron a smile before she heads inside, and says "I had fun talking with you tonight."

Cameron smiles and replies, "Me too!" before he leaves to join the rest of the males on his team.

 ***Confessional- Cameron***  
"Courtney doesn't seem too bad, she's at least trying to be much nicer this season. It worries me that her and Scarlett seem so close though. Maybe we can distance the two."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

When Scarlett and Courtney enter their cabin, Scarlett goes over to their list of contestants and crosses out Justin and Anne Maria's names.

"That's quite a group of four they have over on the Beautiful Butterflies." Scarlett says.

"Yep." Courtney replies. "They're gonna be hard to beat now that their dead weight is gone."

Scarlett nods in agreement. "True. Though I believe there is more to the story than what we were told. I can't imagine that a group that close would have just magically ended their vote in a tie."

Courtney has a feeling that Scarlett is correct, especially after Leshawna promised to talk to her and DJ about it. "You're probably right, I'll see if I can learn more tomorrow morning."

"Excellent. I'm assuming you saw me converse with Leonard earlier?"

Courtney nodded. "Yeah I did. What was that all about?"

Scarlett smiled at her ally. "I convinced him to be in an alliance with us."

This new information delighted Courtney. "Really, and how did you manage that?"

Scarlett looked almost giddy, or at least as close to giddy as she could ever be. "That's the best part. I told him that Shawn and Cameron were bigger threats because they won previous seasons."

"I like that. This is a good start, but we'll need another vote. I'm assuming you still want Shawn to go?"

"Absolutely."

"Okay, we can work with that. I actually am kind of tired, though. Let's sleep and figure out the rest tomorrow."

"Of course. Good night Courtney."

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Despite our recent wins, the Brainy Beetles are not cohesive, and most of us are hardly friends. Scarlett's the closest ally I have on this team, so I have to stick with her for now. Cameron's pretty nice, and hopefully someone that I can rely on moving forward."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Courtney and Scarlett were the last to fall asleep. After a double elimination, everyone was expecting an uneventful night.

However, this was not the case for three unlucky campers, who were gone from their beds by morning.

Scarlett and Courtney walked by themselves to the mess hall in the morning to meet with their team. However, once they entered, they only saw three of the four Beetle males.

"So..." Scarlett says, "any particular reason that B isn't here?"

"Alas, B vanished into the night, he is most likely a servant to the moon gods now!" Leonard exclaimed.

"Um, English please?" Courtney replies, clearly unimpressed.

"We don't know where he is." Cameron explains. "He wasn't in the tree when we all woke up in the morning, and we haven't run into him at all. I'm starting to get worried."

"I'm telling you guys, zombies took him." Shawn offers. "Or Scarlett."

Scarlett sighed and rolled her eyes. "And just why would I kidnap one of my own teammates? How could that possibly benefit me at this stage in the game?"

"Not helping, you two." Courtney says before Shawn can reply. "But we should probably go looking for B."

Before anyone else can offer any suggestions, the Beautiful Butterflies walk in. Well, three out of four do.

"Has anyone seen Dawson recently?" Lindsay asks the Brainy Beetles. "We can't find her like, anywhere."

"Wait, Dawn's missing too?" Courtney asks. "Because the guys haven't seen B since last night."

"Yeah, we all went to bed around the same time, Dawn included. But when we woke up she wasn't there." Leshawna explains.

"Oh, well if they're both missing, then they probably went off on their own somewhere." Cameron blurts out without thinking.

"What, why?" Shawn asks.

Not wanting to reveal B's potential crush, Cameron struggles to find a cover-up answer. "Um, well... because they're such good friends, and, um..."

"That makes sense." Courtney interrupts. "Dawn likes to wander a lot, right? She probably asked B if he wanted to go with her."

"Hm, that's true..." Leshawna ponders. "Well, we can't afford to not have Dawn at the challenge. Let's go looking for them after we eat."

"Agreed." Scarlett says as she gives a short nod of approval.

With that, the teams sit down to eat, once again at separate tables. Courtney gave Lindsay and Leshawna a look that told them they needed to talk later on.

Once it was clear they received the message, Courtney turned her focus to Cameron.

"B likes Dawn, doesn't he?" She whispers.

Cameron practically chokes on his cereal. "What? N-no way! I mean, how should I know?"

Courtney smiles. "You're not a very good liar."

Cameron gives up with a sigh. "I know... but you can't tell anyone about B, please!"

Courtney chuckles. "Don't worry, I won't say anything. Though B should probably wait until after the game for that kind of thing. I hear romances can ruin gameplay."

Cameron, not wanting to delve deeper into Courtney's message just says in return "Thank you, I appreciate it."

 ***Confessional- Cameron***  
"Between B disappearing and Courtney being nice, I'm not really sure what to believe. I really need to figure out where to go from here."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The dining hall is quiet for awhile as the two teams begin to eat their breakfast. About ten minutes in, the silence is broken when they hear the door slammed open by Jo. The rest of the Brawny Beavers are behind her.

"Where the fuck is he?!" Jo screams at no one in particular.

"Wha?" Sugar asks.

Jo just gets angrier. "Cut the bullshit! He was here last night, and now he's gone! Someone's up to something! What about you, Miss CIT? Didn't like that the Brawny Beavers haven't lost yet? Huh?"

Courtney looks completely flabbergasted at Jo's rant. Jasmine and DJ come running in to calm down Jo.

"Jo, calm down." Jasmine says in a soothing tone. "I'm sure he went on a run or something-"

"We go on runs together!" Jo interjects. "He wouldn't just leave without me!"

"Sorry about this." DJ says to the other teams. "We had kind of a rough morning."

"Let me guess, one of your teammates is missing?" Scarlett asks. "And, based on Jo's hostile reaction, my guess is that Brick is the missing camper, and that no one has seen him this morning."

"Um, yes?" DJ answers. "How did you know that?"

"B and Dawn have both been missing too." Leshawna explains. "Cameron thought they might have gone out on a walk together, but now-"

"Now that seems unlikely, since Brick isn't particularly close with either of them." Cameron finishes for her.

 ***Confessional- Cameron***  
"Okay, now this is kind of spooky. Also, I told Courtney about B's crush for nothing! This is bad, really bad!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Outside the mess hall, the three remaining Brawny Beavers are debating whether to go in.

"Come on Lightning, you're her new best friend, go comfort her." Eva says.

"Sha-no way dude, Lightning's not stupid. I'd like to keep my head intact." The jock replies.

Sky chuckles. "I know Jo's... passionate, but I'm kind of surprised that she's this angry about Brick missing."

"Psh, I'm not." Eva explains, "Brick and her are one fight away from either killing each other or getting married."

Lightning shakes his head in agreement. "Dude, Jo's cool now and all, but Lightning thinks those two need to get it together."

Sky nods her head as well. "Yeah, it's... pretty obvious they like each other."

"Sha-right! It's like just... just say something already."

Eva rolls her eyes at the irony that is taking place before her.

"Yeah," she adds in sarcastically. "I can't imagine being so oblivious about a crush like this. Why even bother denying it at this point?"

"Yeah..." Sky and Lightning say in unison.

Eva now looks straight into the camera with a look of disbelief.

 ***Confessional- Eva***  
"Idiots, I'm literally surrounded by idiots. Can I switch teams at some point? Seriously, why is my team the only one dealing with this?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Before Eva can comment any further, DJ gestures for the three to come inside.

When they do enter, they see Jo is still visibly on edge, and the rest of the campers looking worried.

Sky notices that Brick isn't the only one absent. "Wait, Dawn's missing too? And... B? Is that right?"

"Yup." Shawn answers. "B's been missing all day, same with Dawn."

Sky goes into deep thought. "Hmm... if I had to guess now, I'd say this is probably for a challenge."

"What?" Jo asks a few octaves higher than normal.

"Well, think about it. One camper from each team is gone, and haven't been seen since we went to bed last night. This can't be a coincidence."

"Sha-damn girl, you're so smart!" Lightning exclaims. The other campers can practically see the hearts in his eyes. "See Jo? Sky says your boyfriend is probably safe."

"Idiot, he's not my boyfriend." Jo says as her face grows red.

"Well, not _yet._ " Lightning retorts, earning a snicker from DJ and Jasmine. "Just say the word and-"

"NO!" Jo shouts before he can elaborate any further.

 ***Confessional- Jo***  
"Lightning thinks that since we're alliance members that means he can stick his nose into my business. I don't need any friends, and I don't need Lightning's help with Brick!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Jo's in denial about being friends with the Sha-Lightning! But she'll come around. Besides, I got a plan to help her get with Army Dude. Lightning's telling you, it's a good plan."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"RISE AND SHINE CAMPERS!" Everyone hears over the intercoms. It's easy for them to tell that it is Chef speaking to them right now. Or rather, yelling.

"If you have been paying attention, you might have noticed that each team has been... missing something. To find what you lost, get yo' sorry butts to the bottom of the diving cliff in 15 minutes!

Jo didn't need any more prompting. She was out the door in an instant, running to the diving cliff on the other side of camp. Jasmine and Eva were running after her, telling her to slow down. Shawn followed behind with Cameron and Leonard in hopes of catching up with them. Scarlett and Sugar are walking by themselves, talking in a low whisper.

Sky and Lightning opt to do a light jog to the diving cliff, neither particularly willing to get involved with the chaos up front.

"Thanks by the way... for supporting my idea back there." Sky says, a little more nervous than usual.

"You mean when Lightning called you smart?" Lightning asked.

"Um, yeah." Sky replied. "Last season was... kind of difficult for me, for many reasons. It's nice to have people around that appreciate me for more than my appearance."

"Um, no problem! But Lightning's just telling the truth."

Sky decides to ignore the warm, bubbly feeling in her stomach. "That... that means a lot."

"Hey, Lightning was wondering... do you want to maybe, work together? Like in the game?"

Sky can't bare to look at the hopeful expression on Lightning's face. "I don't know, Lightning..."

"Oh... okay, I underst-" Lightning says, defeated.

"No! I mean, I want to! It's just, I don't really do alliances... I don't want to disappoint people again. Can I at least have some time to think about it?" Sky pleads.

Lightning brightens up a little. "Sha-bam! Okay girl, take your time!"

Sky giggles, feeling more relieved now.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"As much as I want to say yes to Lightning's offer, I need to take some precautions this time around. I just really don't like alliances. If I'm going to form one, it has to be with someone that I can trust no matter what. Sure, Lightning's nice right now, but let's see what happens when things don't go his way."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Walking behind everyone else is Leshawna, Lindsay, DJ, and Courtney, with the former two informing the latter two about what went down at the campfire ceremony.

"So you forced a tie between Anne Maria and Justin and were preparing to have them fight it it out for their spot?" Courtney summarizes.

"Yes." Leshawna confirms.

Courtney continues, "But you got lucky because Chris sent them both home..."

Leshawna gives her another "Yes."

"That's... pretty badass." DJ says. "Whose idea was that?"

Lindsay raises her hand in the air as if she's in class. "Mine! Well, I ran it by Leshawna first, but she liked the idea too! We were the only two that knew what was going to happen! Well, except the double elimination part, that was a surprise."

"Gotta say Lindsay, I'm impressed." Courtney says with a hint of admiration in her voice.

"Thanks!" Lindsay exclaims.

DJ decides to move the conversation forward. "So... how is it with the other two? Dawn and Sugar?"

"It's good." Leshawna replies. "That was the group we started with, so I'm glad we all made it past those eliminations."

DJ takes a leap of faith. "Yeah but... is that the group you want to be with in the final four?"

"I like this four!" Lindsay interrupts, motioning to the three others beside her. "I wouldn't mind going to the final four with you guys!"

"I like this four too." Courtney agrees.

"Me too." DJ says.

Leshawna pauses for a moment before speaking. "Ya know... I like this four too. Four original cast members in the finals... it's got a nice ring to it."

"Final four?" DJ offers.

"Final four." The women say together.

"We'll all have to make the merge though. We're all on different teams, so we'll always have someone going to the campfire ceremony." Courtney reminds them.

"Yeah," DJ says with a nod and a smile. "But I have faith in us."

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Thank god! I wanted to focus on strategy more this time around, and I feel like I'm really accomplishing that. I have a final four deal with the people I actually want to go to the finals with, and a final two deal with Courtney. Now we just have to make it through campfire ceremonies."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

When the foursome finally arrived, all the other campers were waiting at the bottom of the cliff they dived off of in the very first challenge. Chris was there waiting for them with a TV right beside him.

"Good morning campers!" The host announces. "Are you all ready for your next challenge?"

"Where is Brick?" Jo asks angrily.

"And B and Dawn..." Shawn adds in.

Chris looks unamused. "I was getting to that, if you'd let me. As you all have probably noticed by now, each team is missing one camper. Well, they were taken last night. You could say they are "damsels in distress"."

The screen lights up and shows live footage of B, Dawn, and Brick at the top of the cliff with Chef. Chef is in a dragon costume, while the three kidnapped campers are in Disney princess-style dresses. Dawn's dress is purple, B's is yellow, and Brick's is red. Dawn looks unbothered, B looks confused at his outfit, while Brick looks outright annoyed.

Lightning and DJ laugh loudly at the sight of Brick in a dress. Everyone else tries to remain composed, but a few cackles are heard here and there.

"Yes I know, it's very amusing." Chris says with a laugh. "Anyway, for today's challenge, you will have to rescue your damsels, using brains, brawn, and beauty. One at a time, a member from each team will have to run up the mountain to meet with Chef at the top. But be careful, this dragon is armed... with _fire!_ "

"...fire?" Cameron asks, clearly scared.

"Unfortunately, it's not real fire, but they are water balloons filled with paint." Chris explains. "Anyway, if you're hit, you go back and a new team member tries their luck. Once you reach the top, Chef will give you a rhyme about a former contestant not on this current season. Guess it right and you and your damsel will dive down the cliff, swim to shore, and pose for a picture at the podium. The first two teams to have a member complete all three tasks win invincibility. The losers vote someone off. Any questions?"

No one says anything.

Chris claps his hands together. "Alright! You have five minutes to get into positions and strategize!"

The teams line up and start to discuss how they are going to go. Jasmine, Lindsay, and Shawn all decide to take the first turns for their teams.

"You got this Lindsay?" Leshawna asks, rather nervous.

"Of course!" The blonde replies with a smile.

"Okay campers!" Chris yells. "The challenge is about to begin... on your mark, get set... GO!"

With that, the three campers begin to run up the hill. Lindsay's doing a light run, where as Jasmine and Shawn are sprinting.

Jasmine goes up to her boyfriend as they're running. "Shawn, don't you dare throw this."

Shawn is baffled at her. "Jasmine, I-"

"No, there's no discussion here. Just try your best and- ah!" And with that, Jasmin is hit with a paint filled water balloon. "Damn it!" The Australian shouts. She begins to run back down the hill.

Shawn tries to dodge the water balloons, and is almost successful until he gets pelted with a bunch at the last minute. He has to run down as well.

Jasmine makes it back to her team and says "I got hit. Someone else has to go."

"I'll go!" Jo yells.

"No, you're too emotional. Sky should go, she'll be able to dodge the water balloons easily." Eva offers.

"Um... okay." Sky answers. She starts running towards where Brick is waiting to be "rescued".

Cameron starts to run up for the Brainy Beetles, but is quickly pelted with water balloons. Leonard takes over for him.

Eva was right, Sky did easily dodge all of the water balloons. She made it up the cliff with ease. Chef stands in front of her and announces "Good job, noble knight. To rescue your maiden, you have to tell me which past Total Drama contestant fits the riddle. Ready?"

Sky nods. "Ready."

Chef rolls a scroll open and begins to read the riddle. It says:  
 _"She was the third voted off in our last season._  
 _She hated her sister, but not without reason."_

"Amy!" Sky tells excitedly. "Amy was the third person gone last season and she hated her sister!"

Chef shakes his head in disappointment. "Sorry, that is incorrect."

"What?"

"Amy may have been the third person to leave, but everyone voted for _Samey_."

"Oh come on!" Sky says, frustrated at the trick question.

Chef chuckles. "Back to the start!"

Sky heads down, ashamed at her slip up. Leonard gets hit with a water balloon, and Scarlett takes his place.

By this time, Lindsay makes it to the top of the cliff. Chef reads her the next riddle:

 _"When comes to eating, this boy doesn't stop._  
 _But in the first season, he came out on top."_

"Oh, that's gotta be Owen!" Lindsay answers. "He loves to eat!

"Correct!" Chef says. "You may rescue your damsel and take your dive.

Lindsay nods and goes over to Dawn. "Ready to go?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Dawn says. She turns to Brick and B and tells them "Goodbye you two, I had a lovely conversation with you both."

The two Beauty women then take their dive.

 ***Confessional- Brick***  
"Our conversations were literally Dawn talking and B shaking his head yes or no at her. Dawn said it was the best heart-to-heart she's ever had. I don't know if I was supposed to feel like a third wheel, but I did."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Leshawna and Sugar are cheering when they see Lindsay and Dawn diving.

Sky makes it back to the Brawny Beavers. "Be careful with the questions, they're tricky."

"Let me go!" Jo insists. "I know what I'm doing!"

"No, I'm going next." Eva says back. "No way I'm losing because of your stupid crush."

Eva starts running before Jo can say anything. Though Eva swears she heard someone shout "I don't have a crush!" in the background.

Scarlett makes it up to Chef, who then delivers this riddle:  
 _"A lovable goof, who we've learned to grow fond of,_  
 _When it comes to his girlfriends, he likes them blonder."_

Scarlett thinks for a moment. "That could be either Geoff or Tyler."

Chef shrugs. "You gotta pick one."

Scarlett rolls her eyes. "Fine, Geoff then."

"Sorry, the answer was Tyler. Back to the start!"

"Ugh!" Scarlett screams out. She stomps her way back to the beginning.

By this time, Lindsay and Dawn are getting out of the water.

"Quick, the podium is over there!" Dawn yells, pointing to a pedestal near the docks. Chris is there with a camera.

The two scramble there and strike a pose in from of Chris. A 'click' goes off, and Chris then reaches for a walkie talkie.

At the bottom of the cliff, the teams hear Chris' voice over the intercoms. "CONGRATULATIONS TO THE BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLIES! No elimination tonight!"

Leshawna and Sugar squeal in excitement. Then they run towards the docks to be with the rest of their team.

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"Looks like the Beautiful Butterflies are finally a force to be reckoned with."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Jo looks like she's about to punch something. Jasmine puts her hand on her shoulder in comfort. "Don't worry, we're going to be fine. See? Eva's at the top."

Sure enough, Eva was just getting her riddle from Chef. It went as followed:  
 _"Third place, then first... two seasons in a row!_  
 _I also hear she's good with an arrow and bow."_

Eva frowned once she heard the riddle. She was stumped. "Um... shit. Uh, Heather right?"

"Nope, Zoey." Chef replies. "Next!"

Eva starts sprinting down once she knows she messed up. Courtney is already starting to run up the hill for the Brains. Once Eva makes it back down, there isn't even a discussion. Jo starts running at full speed, not bothering to ask her team what they thought.

Courtney was running as fast as she could, but Jo was ultimately faster.

Once she reaches the top, the jock yells "Give me the riddle!" to Chef.

Chef chuckles. "Alright crazy, here it is:  
 _In Total Drama Island, she was our first ever villain,_  
 _Then two seasons later, cheated out of her million."_

Jo answers immediately. "Heather, the answer's Heather. I'm right, I know it."

 _"_ That you are." Chef says back. "Go get your damsel."

Jo sprints to Brick, grabs him, and jumps off the cliff without so much as a word.

Courtney makes it to Chef just as the rival pair is jumping off. "Can I get my riddle now?" She asks the man.

Chef looks at his scroll and smiles sinisterly. "Heheh, you'll like this one:  
 _The true antagonist of our own season four,_  
 _And a love interest in All Stars that left him wanting more."_

Courtney looks pissed."Seriously, that's the one you give me? Out of all the contestants you could have picked from?"

Chef looks down to the water. "You may want to answer, your team is falling behind."

The former CIT rolls her eyes. "Fine, it's Scott. Can I get B now?"

Chef laughs. "Fine by me."

Courtney and B immediately jump together without hesitation. They start swimming as fast as they can, but it's no use.

Jo and Brick are posing for the picture before they even reach the shore.

"BRAWNY BEAVERS ARE SAFE!" Chris announces again. The five Brawn campers still at the starting line begin screaming in excitement. They run over to Brick and Jo, with the defeated Brainy Beetles trailing behind them.

Jo pulls Brick into a tight hug. Neither of them say anything for awhile.

Jo is the first to break the silence. "Brick?"

"Yes, Jo?" Bricks says nervously.

"Never, ever, scare me like that again."

"It wasn't really my choice-"

Jo looks him dead in the eyes. "I don't care, just don't do it."

"...Okay." Brick stares back into her eyes. He contemplates leaning in, until the sound of his team running over to them breaks their contact.

 ***Confessional- Brick***  
"I literally had a perfect opportunity, and just... nothing! Damn it Brick!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris brings his attention to the Brainy Beetles, who are finally all together. "Brainy Beetles, I'll be seeing you all tonight at the campfire ceremony. Choose wisely."

The entire team looks in different directions to avoid eye contact with each other. Shawn looks at Jasmine and gives her a gentle smile.

As they all walk back to their cabins, Shawn makes his way to B and whispers to him "We good to vote Scarlett tonight?".

B gives him a thumbs up.

 ***Confessional- Shawn***  
"Well, I didn't throw the challenge... we just really sucked at it. But I'm confident that I have the votes to send Scarlett packing."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Meanwhile, Scarlett, Courtney, and Leonard are walking together. "Leonard, have you decided on who to vote for tonight?"

Leonard starts to jump up and down in excitement. "Oh yes! I say we vote for Shawn, he is very strong and quite close to the Brawny Beavers!"

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Shawn's confident that he's safe. I'm confident that I'm safe. We'll see who's right tonight."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Scarlett smiles at Leonard's decision. "What an excellent choice. Okay, we are voting for Shawn tonight. Do either of you think you'll be able to get B or Cameron to vote with us?"

Courtney raises her hand midway. "Leave that to me, I got it covered."

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"So I'm not actually sure that I want to move forward with Scarlett's plan. I've made it pretty clear that I don't trust Scarlett, but Shawn and I haven't really talked either. If Scarlett's gone, I may lose the chance to be in a power position. If she stays, she could betray me at any time. I have a lot to think over. At the end of the day I'm going to do what's best for me, and me alone."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Courtney pulls Cameron aside. "I'm assuming you want to stay in the game, right?" She asks her short teammate.

"Well, yes... why? Are people considering voting for me?" Cameron replies, shaking a little.

Courtney drops her voice to a low whisper. "Your name was brought up, but you're not going home tonight. I know how to make sure you're safe, but you have to vote how I tell you to, no questions asked. Can you do that?"

Cameron gives Courtney a nod. "Okay."

* * *

 _*Campfire Ceremony*_  
"Once again, it's time for my favorite part of the day, the Campfire Ceremony!" Chris announces to the losing team before him.

Despite feelings of nervousness, most of the Brainy Beetles seem relatively calm. Scarlett and Shawn both look cocky, ready to see the other go home. Courtney looks the most scared. She keeps looking over to Cameron to see if she can decipher his expressions.

Chris clears his throat and begins to speak again. "Brainy Beetles, your team came in last today after a disappointing performance trying to save your damsel in distress. You've all casted you votes, now it's time to give the results."

Chris sets the marshmallows in front of him. "B, for not doing anything wrong and looking fabulous in the dress, you get the first marshmallow."

B catches his marshmallow with ease.

"Next person safe is... Courtney."

Courtney grabs the marshmallow like her life depends on it.

"Leonard. Cameron."

Leonard enthusiastically catches his marshmallow. Cameron looks incredibly relieved.

The camera turns to focus on the two remaining campers, Shawn and Scarlett. They are glaring at each other, more than ready to see their opponent get eliminated.

"While I can't say you did anything particularly wrong in the challenge, you two have been hell-bent on sending each other home since day 1. Your heated rivalry ends tonight, with only one coming out ahead." Chris says.

"Anyway, the person going home tonight is..."

The dramatic music begins to play. Shawn and Scarlett's glares intensify. B looks disinterested, Courtney and Cameron are nervous, and Leonard looks excited.

The camera focuses on Scarlett and Shawn again as Chris says a name.

"Shawn."

Shawn's face dropped into complete shock. He looks over to his team. B is confused, and Cameron's staring at the ground. Courtney and Leonard look relieved. Scarlett couldn't be happier.

"Seriously guys?!" Shawn shouts. "You're keeping Scarlett over me? You've got to be joking!"

Scarlett gives Shawn a wicked smirk. "Next time you play, remember who you're messing with. Don't worry though, we'll tell Jasmine you say hi."

Shawn growls at her in anger.

"Tough luck, dude." Chris says, "but speaking of dates, it looks like you have one with the Slingshot of Defeat!"

The scene turns to the aforementioned Slingshot of Defeat, with the Brainy Beetles, Chris, and Chef preparing for Shawn's sendoff.

"Well Shawn, anything else you'd like to say?"

"Yeah," Shawn replies, "Tell Jasmine I'm sorry. And guys, be careful of Scarlett and Courtney. I mean it, they can't be trusted!"

Chef sends Shawn flying before he can say anymore. Scarlett and Courtney look at each other with a concerned expression. B, Cameron, and Leonard look unsure of themselves.

Chris jumps in front of the shot of the whole team. "Another day, another blindside! Will the Brainy Beetles finally be able to work together? How will Jasmine react now that her beau's gone? And will the Beautiful Butterflies continue to dominate? Find out next time on Total Drama... Brains! Versus Brawn! Versus Beauty!"

 **•End of Episode Five•**

* * *

 **Finally, a non-Beauty team elimination! Hopefully you guys liked the change of pace this time around, as this chapter was very heavy on the social interactions between contestants.**

 **Here is the breakdown of this chapter's vote:**  
 **B- Scarlett**  
 **Cameron- Shawn**  
 **Courtney- Shawn**  
 **Leonard- Shawn**  
 **Scarlett- Shawn**  
 **Shawn- Scarlett**

* * *

 **Yes, Shawn was sent home this time. My heart broke when I decided he would be eliminated this early, as I love him and Jasmine together (they're my favorite Total Drama couple). Unfortunately, for Scarlett and Jasmine to stay and branch out more, I needed Shawn to go.**

 **Now that the Brainy Beetles have gotten rid of Shawn, they're going to have to deal with the consequences of it- mostly the consequences of letting Scarlett stay. The next chapter will go more into their thought processes. Let's just say Courtney knew exactly what she was doing voting for Shawn.**

 **The other two teams are also starting to develop more. The Beautiful Butterflies are a strong group of four, but are still weary of each other. Lindsay and Leshawna trust each other 100%, which worries Sugar and Dawn. I decided I wanted Dawn to have a more competitive side this time around. She's looking to stay for the long-haul, so she's not going to be taking a backseat to other alliances.**

 **Then there's my beautiful mess of the Brawny Beavers. Jo was quite emotional this chapter because of Brick. This may seem out of character for her, but hey, that's what repressed crushes do to you. Without giving anything away, I will let you know that fans of Jo and Brick will either really like or really hate the next chapter (or a mixture of both, but you will feel something).**

 **There's also some small progress for Sky and Lightning, even though Sky is more hesitant (and for good reason). It's actually canon that Sky doesn't like alliances, it's in her TD online bio. Lightning is trying to be a better person for her and allowing her to take her time, so we will see how that pans out. DJ and Jasmine are sitting pretty right now in the middle of everything, especially DJ, who now has a final four and a final two deal. I love Lindsay, Leshawna, DJ, and Courtney, so I'm excited to write their interactions some more.**

 **Before I go, let's all take a moment of silence for Eva, who is putting up with all of her team's crap in the most Eva way possible. I love her as my voice of reason.**

 **Please like, comment, and follow to your hearts content, it means the world to me!**

* * *

 **Eliminated: Harold, Topher, Anne Maria, Justin, Shawn**


	7. Only Fools Fall in Love

**Hello beautiful people! So happy I was able to get this chapter out so quickly after the last one. To be honest, this chapter has been planned out for awhile, and was simply a matter of writing it all out. If this fic was a 3 Act play, this chapter would be the end of Act 1.**

 **Thank you all for your amazing comments, as well as favoriting and following the story. It means the world to me, and you're all amazing. Hopefully you enjoy this chapter!**

 **Love Always,**  
 **VintageMadame**

* * *

 **Brainy Beetles: B, Cameron, Courtney, Leonard, Scarlett**

 **Brawny Beavers: Brick, DJ, Eva, Jasmine, Jo, Lightning, Sky**

 **Beautiful Butterflies: Dawn, Leshawna, Lindsay, Sugar**

* * *

 ***Last Episode Recap***  
"Last time on Total Drama... just as some teams were coming together, others were falling apart. The Beautiful Butterflies were stronger than ever, despite Leshawna and Lindsay making a final four deal with DJ and Courtney. Speaking of Lindsay, she easily took the win for the Butterflies at the challenge, where teams had to rescue either B, Dawn, or Brick. While Jo may have gained a friendship with Lightning, she lost her sanity when Brick went missing. Lightning tried to form an alliance with Sky, but she remains unsure of his intentions. But if we're sure of anything, it's the Brainy Beetles' downfall. The rivalry between Shawn and Scarlett reached its peak, with both sides scheming to get the other out. In the end, Scarlett got the votes she needed to stay, and Shawn found himself out of the game. Will the Brainy Beetles regret their choice? Will Jasmine seek revenge? The answer to both those questions is... probably. Either way, it's time to find out on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"  
 ***End Recap***

* * *

The scene opens to the three cabins that the campers have grown strangely fond of. The Brawn and Beauty teams were waiting for the Brainy Beetles to come back from the vote.

Jasmine was understandably nervous, despite DJ, Lightning, and Sky trying to distract her with people watching. This was made ten times better for the Australian when their attention turned to Brick and Jo, who were skipping rocks by the lake. Close by were Lindsay and Leshawna, who were walking along the shoreline by themselves. Eva, Dawn, and Sugar were hanging out by the entrance of the Beauty cabin, looking at the entire scene in front of them.

"Ugh," Eva scoffs, "so stupid."

"Hey, I've barely talked to ya!" Sugar yells.

"Not you," Eva replies, though not without an eye roll. "I'm talking about those four," she points to Jasmine, DJ, Lightning, and Sky, "spending all their time obsessing over those two." She then points to Jo and Brick.

"Psh, sounds fun!" Sugar says. "All our team talks about now is strategy. So boring!"

Eva lets out a whine. "I'd _love_ to talk about strategy. But between the disaster that is Jo and Brick, Lightning and Sky's pining over each other, and Jasmine and DJ continuously calling themselves the _ship captains_ , there just never seems to be time."

Dawn stares ahead at nothing in particular. Eva thinks she's checked out of the conversation before she begins to speak out of nowhere.

"Hm... I'd say let them be. They're just having fun in what is a pretty intense situation. In fact, I'd say repressing those feelings will do your team more harm than good."

Eva looks at the platinum blonde in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? We've literally gone over _nothing_ strategic today, maybe even this week! Our team is a mess."

Dawn contemplates this for a moment. "Well, if you're a mess, at least you're a successful mess. You're the only team that hasn't lost any members yet, and you certainly get along the best. That has to mean something."

"Huh, that's true." Eva sighs, "I guess I got a lot to think about."

Dawn smiles. "I guess you do."

 ***Confessional- Eva***  
"Okay, so I might have been a little tougher on my team than I need to be. I don't think I'll ever care about these couples like DJ and Jasmine do, but I can at least cut them a break... Maybe. We'll see."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

DJ, Jasmine, Sky, and Lightning are sitting in the grass, giggling like children. Jasmine's laying on her stomach, with Sky leaning on her back for support. DJ and Lightning are both sitting cross-legged, DJ next to Jasmine and Lightning next to Sky.

As the camera zooms in, we hear that Jo and Brick are still the topic of discussion.

"All I'm saying is, we just need one perfect moment for those two, and they'll be together in no time." DJ says with certainty.

Lightning shakes his head no. "Sha-no way, dude, they've had their opportunities. They'll need more help than that."

"I agree," Sky adds, "those two need a push in the right direction."

The gymnast chooses to ignore Jasmine when she mutters "they're not the only ones" under her breath.

Luckily, Lightning seems to have not heard her, since he yells "sha-yeah!" in response to Sky.

"No, not a push, more like words of encouragement." Jasmine suggests.

"Yeah, if we're too forceful, they'll shut down completely." DJ agrees.

"Please, Lightning knows Jo, and Lightning's got a foolproof plan to get those two together."

DJ raises an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Really!" Lightning assures him.

DJ crosses his arms."I bet Jasmine and I could get them together before you can."

Sky shakes her head in disbelief. "Guys, come on, that's-"

"You're on!" Lightning yells. He then turns to Sky and asks, "Sky, you on my team?"

"Huh?" Sky asks.

"You on Lightning's team for the bet?" Lightning repeats.

"Um, I don't know..."

"Come on... please?" Lightning asks, barely above a whisper.

There's a moment of silence before Sky answers. "Okay."

Jasmine smiles at this. "Okay mates, it's on. First group to get Jo and Brick together wins... ummm, what exactly do we win?"

"Lightning's got a stash of granola bars under his bed." DJ suggests.

"Sha-what?! How do you know about those?" Lightning asks, clearly shocked.

"Dude, we're bunkmates. You're not really good at hiding things."

Lightning scoffs out, "Fine. What do we get if we win?"

"I'll give you the bag of candy Sky is always eyeing." Jasmine offers.

"Haha, yes, that's what I'm talking about!" Sky laughs.

"Okay, first one to get them together wins extra snacks." DJ announces.

 ***Confessional- DJ & Jasmine***  
"Okay," Jasmine says to the camera. "So we convinced Lightning and Sky to work together on this bet, which means they'll be doing an awful lot of scheming together."

"I'd say we're killing two birds with one stone here." DJ says with a playful smirk.  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Down by the water, Leshawna was comforting Lindsay about the impending vote.

"Girl I'm telling you, they're probably sending Scarlett home. Not ideal for Courtney but she'll manage." She told the blonde.

Lindsay sighed. "I know, but like, if it is Courtney, then we lost one of our final four members! What will we do then?"

Leshawna shrugged. "Then we find a new fourth person. Courtney would do the same thing if it was one of us. We just gotta roll with the punches, because you can't worry like this every elimination." She gives Lindsay a warm smile. "We got this, alright?"

Lindsay smiles back. "Right!"

 ***Confessional- Lindsay***  
"Leshawna's right, I have to focus on my game more. No matter what happens, I'll make it work!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The two hear Sugar shout "Here they come!" in the distance.

"Well, I guess we're going to find out now." Leshawna says.

Lindsay nods. The pair make their way back to camp to join the others for the reveal.

When the five remaining Brainy Beetles come into view, all Jasmine has to see is a shock of red hair to know that her boyfriend didn't make it past the vote. Her suspicions are confirmed when she gets a better look at the team.

No one says anything right away. The Australian can feel all eyes on her right now, waiting for her to react.

"S-Shawn...?" Jasmine's barely able to mutter out. She's trying to silently tell herself not to cry, especially not in front of the team that just voted for Shawn. DJ rests his hand on her shoulder as a sign of comfort.

"Why Shawn?" DJ asks the team as a whole, but he's looking directly at Courtney when he says it.

"I'm sorry Jasmine." Courtney says, "But we had to do what was best."

DJ gives a silent nod, seemingly satisfied with the answer. Courtney knows they'll be talking more about it later on.

Jasmine runs away from the cabin as she tries to wipe the tears from her eyes. DJ goes to follow her.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"I know most people outside the Brains team were expecting Scarlett to go home, so to see it was Shawn is surprising. I trust Courtney's judgement, but Jasmine's also my friend and my teammate. It's just going to be awkward all around."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Sky is about to follow DJ before Eva stops her with a firm "No".

Sky looks at her teammate. "But..."

"DJ's got this. We can see her later tonight in the cabin."

Sky nods. Jo and Brick just look at each other, clearly uncomfortable with the scene before them.

For a moment everyone just stands there in an uncomfortable silence.

Scarlett is the one to break the quiet. "Well, if everyone doesn't mind, I'm going to go to bed. We've had a very taxing day and I'm quite tired."

"Yeah, same." Leshawna agrees, "I think we should call it for tonight."

"I guess since Shawn's not here we can actually sleep in the cabins." Cameron says. B and Leonard nod in agreement, and begin to head into their assigned rooms for the first time since they've been here.

The Beauty team follows suit and begins to head in, but not without Lindsay and Leshawna hugging Courtney first.

"I'm glad you're still here, Corrine." Lindsay whispers to her.

Courtney gives her a small smile. "Yeah, me too."

With that, all three women head towards their respective cabins.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Yes, I'm sorry that Jasmine is so hurt by this, but I had to do what was best for my game. Shawn wasn't going to align with me, and Scarlett has Leonard doing whatever she says. My best bet was to keep Scarlett and have Cameron go along with it. This way I have options for the next vote."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The Brawny Beavers decide to wait outside their rooms until Jasmine and DJ return. It only takes about ten minutes, but once they arrive Jasmine immediately heads to her room. Her female team members follow her in, while the boys go into their side.

"How'd it go with Jasmine?" Brick asks DJ. "She's got to be devastated."

"She's sad, but she understands why it happened." DJ replies. "I think she'll be fine, she's more sad that she didn't get to say goodbye than anything else. She really loves him."

Brick nods. "No kidding, that's gotta be hard. You can tell they really care about each other."

DJ hops into the bunk above Lightning as he says, "They'll be fine. At least they know how the other feels. Well, goodnight you guys."

Brick and Lightning both choose to not reply. At least in the dark, no one can see their faces turning red.

 ***Confessional- Brick***  
"At this point, I know I have feelings for Jo. And part of me wants to confess, but the other part is really nervous about that idea. I just don't want one of us to leave without me letting her know how I feel."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The Brawny Beaver girls are attempting to comfort Jasmine.

"Ladies, it's really okay, I promise." Jasmine assures them.

"Yeah, but it's gotta suck right now. I promise we'll make those nerds pay." Jo says in her usual aggressive manner.

"Yes it sucks, it really sucks, but I'll be fine. If anything, I'll see him when the show's done."

"You're taking this... surprisingly well." Sky says.

Jasmine shrugs nonchalantly, even though there are still tears in her eyes. "We knew that there was a chance one of us would be eliminated. I'm going to miss him, but we'll be okay. I just have to remind myself how lucky I am to have someone that cares about me that much."

Eva nods at her remarks. Jo and Sky look like they're deep in thought. Jasmine and Eva both decide not to comment, though they know who each girl is thinking about.

"Well, if you need anything, let us know." Sky finally says.

"Yeah definitely... but I think I need some sleep now." Jo adds.

The women collectively agree and climb into their respective bunks.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Of course I'm mad, I'm livid! But I did warn Shawn not to be too comfortable, and he didn't listen. I have to focus on my game from now on. Scarlett, you better hope you don't make the merge, because I'm coming for you! Shawn's elimination will be my motivator, not my downfall."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

By this time, the campers are all asleep. When morning comes, the Brainy Beetles all meet outside. They are unsure of how to deal with breakfast.

"Well, they knew we had to vote out someone. We can't just avoid them forever." Courtney says.

"I disagree, lets avoid them for as long as possible." Cameron says.

Leonard raises his hands in the air."Fear not! I will cast an shield enchantment on us to- hey B, where you going?"

The silent Beetle is already walking towards the dining hall.

"Hey B, wait up!" Cameron shouts. He and Leonard run to catch up.

Scarlett and Courtney walk to the dining hall at their own pace. After all, they had a lot to talk about.

"I'd call last night a success." Scarlett tells her teammate.

The brunette nods. "I'd say the same, except for Shawn telling the guys not to trust us."

"He was just being a sore loser. After yesterday, I have Leonard wrapped around my finger."

Courtney nods in agreement. After a moment of silence, she asks, "Who would you want to vote for if we lose again?"

Scarlett answers without hesitation. "Cameron. It's an easy vote, and Leonard thinks we're going after the former winners anyway."

"True. Though I'd hate to face B in the merge. He's stronger than Cameron."

"That's probably an accurate conclusion. Maybe we can see if Leonard will suggest it. We have to let him think he's calling the shots."

Courtney nods again. "Sounds easy enough. But let's try to not go to the Campfire Ceremony. I miss winning."

Scarlett smirks. "Me too."

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"The only reason Courtney wants to keep Cameron over B is to better her own position in the game. For now, I have to make her think I'm seriously considering her opinion. While she makes some good points about B's strength, getting rid of Cameron ensures that I will have full control of the Brains team."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

When the duo walk into the dining hall, only the Beauty team is there. B and Cameron are sitting with Dawn, and Leonard is sitting with Sugar. After they get their food, Courtney sits with Leshawna and Lindsay while Scarlett joins Leonard and Sugar.

Meanwhile, the Brawny Beavers are walking in groups. DJ and Jasmine are in the middle snickering about something. Brick, Jo, and Eva are up at the front. Sky and Lightning are at the far back, talking in a low whisper.

"Lightning, I'm not sure if we should be meddling like this. I don't want to mess with their feelings." Sky whispers.

"Yeah but, we're making them happy too. So while it's a bet, it's a bet to make them happy. That's gotta count for something!" Lightning replies.

Sky sighs. "Okay, but the minute they get uncomfortable, we stop. Got it?"

Lightning groans. "Finneeee."

Sky gives him a look of disapproval. He immediately corrects himself. "Sorry, Lightning meant absolutely!"

Sky chuckles. "So what's your 'perfect' plan that you were telling us all about?"

"Okay, it's like this. Jo and Brick are competitive right? Especially about each other. So Lightning says we make them jealous by being all friendly and stuff, and then they'll ask each other out. Then we win you that sha-candy!"

Sky looks uncertain. "Really, make them jealous? I mean, it sounds bad but... I guess it might work with them."

"Right! So are we good to go?"

Sky smiles. "Yeah, we're good to go."

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"We are not good to go. As the game goes on, I'm having an increasingly difficult time ignoring the fact that I like Lightning as... more than a teammate. Jasmine's spiel about Shawn really got to me. Maybe I should say something before it's too late."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Feeling better?" DJ asks Jasmine.

Jasmine smiles. "Yeah, a lot better. Thanks for comforting me yesterday, it means a lot."

DJ shrugs. "It's no big deal. Gotta keep the good vibes going, after all, we have a bet to win!"

"And a challenge."

"...that too."

By this time, Eva, Brick, and Jo are almost at the dining hall.

"What are those idiots doing?" Jo asks, pointing to Sky and Lightning.

"Flirting." Eva replies.

Brick glares at the pair in the distance. "More like scheming. I'd be careful around Lightning, Jo. He's here to win."

"I'm here too, dick." Eva mutters.

Jo rolls her eyes. "Thanks, Captain Obvious. I had no idea people would actually want to win this game. Besides, why do you care who I interact with?"

Brick looks like he'd rather be anywhere but here, having this conversation. He stutters out "I um, I mean... hey look, eggs for breakfast!" And then he runs into the dining hall, leaving an amused Eva and a defeated Jo behind.

 ***Confessional- Eva***  
"Okay, maybe Jo and Brick need to confess to each other. Dawn was right, them holding it in isn't good."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The rest of the Brawny Beavers follow them into the dining hall. DJ and Jasmine head over to Courtney, Leshawna, and Lindsay.

"Um, mind if I sit with you guys?" Jasmine asks. It's not a coincidence that she's looking right at Courtney when she says it. DJ, Leshawna, and Lindsay all wait to hear her response.

"Of course," Courtney says with a smile. "Please do."

Jasmine does just that, feeling much more at ease now then she did last night. It was then she realized that Shawn may be gone, but her chances at winning the game were not.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"What? I may be competitive, but I'm not heartless. Get off my back!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Eva, Jo, and Brick sit together, and are joined by Sky and Lightning as soon as they enter. Sky strategically sits next to Brick, and Lightning next to Jo.

"Sup, jockstrap?" Jo asks Lightning.

Lightning replies slyly. "Nothin, Lightning was just telling Sky how cool you've gotten this season. Sup with you, my dude?"

Jo looks at her alliance member wearily. "I don't know what you're planning, Brightning, but I'm onto you."

Lightning just smiles at her in an attempt to be charming. Brick bends his metal fork in frustration at Lightning's "flirting".

Sky pretends to be shocked at Brick. "Oh my god Brick, you are so strong!"

Lightning could have sworn he heard Jo growl at the remark.

Sky feigns a giggle and gives Lightning a wink when the other two aren't looking. In that moment, he almost forgot that they were putting on a ruse for the other two.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"So, Lightning's been thinking about telling Sky how he feels about her lately. I know we're usually both focused on the game and stuff, but maybe she feels the same? Man, I don't know."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Scarlett, Sugar, and Leonard are huddled together at their own table. No one else is really paying attention to them.

"So, now that Shawn's gone, I'd say it's high time the Brainy Beetles and Beautiful Butterflies officially collaborate to ensure the Brawny Beaver's demise." Scarlett offers.

"Oh yes," Leonard answers, "a partnership like that would be most promising!"

"Ah-greed Mr. Wizard!" Sugar says. "I think my girls would be more than happy to work together."

"No." Scarlett says harshly, "This conversation doesn't leave the table. I don't trust them." She points to the table of Leshawna, Lindsay, DJ, Jasmine, and Courtney.

"Wait wha?" Sugar asks, "Even Courtney?"

"Courtney has her purposes," Scarlett explains, "and she knows what's good for her. And right now, being in an alliance with us is what's good for her. I would hypothesize that she isn't willing to side against another team as long as DJ is a Beaver and Lindsay and Leshawna are Butterflies."

"Shoo, that makes sense." Sugar says.

Scarlett nods. "Of course it does. All we need to do is make sure the Brawny Beavers lose. Between the three of us, I'm sure we can make that happen."

This comment earns smiles from her two companions.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"The Brawny Beavers have had it too good for too long. I think it's high time they get a taste of defeat."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Without warning, Chris' voice comes on over the intercoms. "Attention campers, please proceed to our rarely used gym. I won't say much- only that this challenge is an oldie but a goodie."

Lindsay, Leshawna, DJ, and Courtney all look at each other after Chris' last sentence.

DJ asks the three ladies, "You don't think this challenge is-"

"No," Leshawna interjects, "it couldn't be."

But it was. The scene cuts to a shot of all three teams gathered together with Chris and Chef in the gymnasium. Red rubber balls litter the wooden floor.

"Alright, dodgeball baby!" Jo yells with enthusiasm. The rest of the Beavers, save for DJ and Brick, seem equally excited.

"Oh God no." Cameron mutters under his breath.

"That's right campers, dodgeball's back!" Chris announces to the team's. "This week's challenge is simple. Basic dodgeball rules are at play. You get hit, you're out. You catch the ball before it hits the ground, the thrower is out and you get to bring someone from your team back into the game. We will play three games where two teams face off against each other, meaning each team goes twice. It'll be 3-on-3, so three members of your team will start each round. At the end of three games, whichever team won both their games wins first place. The team that won once will get second, and the team that won no games will be going to elimination. In the event that each team wins once, we will reset the competition and play three more games until we have a definitive loser. Any questions?"

Sugar is about to raise her hand before Leshawna pushes it back down, not wanting to deal with her antics today.

"Great! Oh, and by the way... you certainly don't wanna lose today's challenge." Chris adds slyly. "Because tonight, TWO members of the losing team will be going home."

"WHAT?!" The campers shout in unison.

"We literally just had a double elimination." Leshawna says angrily.

"Yup, and we wouldn't have had that elimination if you four could've made up your minds. So that sounds like a personal problem." Chris replies.

Leshawna crosses her arms in annoyance, but chooses to say nothing.

Most of the campers look terrified at the prospect of losing two members. The exceptions are Eva, who just looks angry, and Scarlett, who looks delighted.

 ***Confessional- Eva***  
"Our team has a distinct advantage because we still have all seven members, meaning we get to pick and choose who competes in what. We can't afford to lose today if we wanna keep our edge."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"A double elimination is a sure-fire way to get rid of both Cameron and B, thereby catapulting myself into complete control. Sadly, we can't afford to lose two players while the Beavers still have seven, so that will have to wait."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Okay campers, Chef will announce the lineup for each game. CHEF!" Chris yells into the megaphone, despite Chef being right next to him.

Chef grabs the megaphone and reads from his clipboard. "The first round of dodgeball will be the Brainy Beetles vs. the Brawny Beavers. After that, we have the Brainy Beetles again vs. the Beautiful Butterflies. Finally the Beautiful Butterflies vs. the Brawny Beavers."

"You heard the man. Brain and Brawn, pick three members of each team to start the first game!"

The Brainy Beetles decide to have Scarlett, B, and Leonard play in the first round, while the Brawny Beavers go with DJ, Jasmine, and Eva.

"Okay campers, last team standing wins the round!" Chris announces from the stands. "On your mark, get set... hurt each other!"

Within seconds of starting, the Brawn team has their dodgeballs in play, with Eva and Jasmine silently agreeing on their target. They both throw at Leonard, who gets out immediately.

DJ throws his ball at B, who catches it with ease despite its speed.

"DJ's out! Leonard, you're back in!"

Leonard enthusiastically resumes his place.

When DJ goes to the bleachers, he sees Sky and Lightning are whispering to each other. They seem to be giving the bet a rest for now, because Brick and Jo are sitting on opposite ends of the stands. Perfect time to talk to Jo alone.

"Hey, Jo." DJ says as he sits next to her.

Jo gives him a nod. "Hey dude, nice throw. Too bad B's a tank. Pretty sure no one else would've caught that."

DJ gives his teammate a smile. "Thanks! Ya know, I never competed with you before, but you're a lot nicer than what I saw on TV."

Jo isn't sure at first whether she should take his comment as a compliment or not. She goes with yes. "Thanks I guess? You're... just as nice as what I saw on TV."

"I try my best."

"I know you do. I also know you didn't come over here just to tell me that I'm nice now."

"You're right. I wanted to ask you about you and Brick."

"Seriously? Look, I don't wanna-"

"I just want to know if you like him, that's all. You don't tell anyone how you're feeling, and it worries me. Keeping your emotions in isn't good. I promise I won't say anything either way."

Jo looks at DJ wearily. "You swear not to say anything?"

DJ holds his pinky out to Jo. "Pinky swear."

Jo rolls her eyes at the childish gesture, but interlocks her pinky with his anyway. "Fine, I like him. A lot. And if you tell him, you'll have a lot more to worry about than just getting eliminated. Got it?"

DJ just smiles again. "I won't say anything. But you should. I know he likes you too."

Jo tries not to the smile at that last sentence. "I'll think about it, okay? That's all I promise."

DJ nods. "Cool. I'm here if you need anything."

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Man, I hope Lightning doesn't miss those granola bars too much."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Meanwhile, Sky and Lightning are having a heart-to-heart of their own.

"So, Lightning was wondering if you thought more about being in an alliance?"

Sky sighs and looks down at the floor. "I don't know, Lightning. I had... a really tough time last season with trusting people. And then the finale... and Dave... and, it just all fell apart."

Lightning gives her a quick side hug, but immediately retracts when he thinks he may have overstepped his boundaries.

"Lightning gets it. Trusting people is hard, especially in a competition. He had a tough time at his finale too."

Sky shakes her head. "Yeah, I watched it. And I'm glad you understand. I don't want to promise you anything unless I know I can keep that promise."

There's a moment of silence before Lightning speaks again.

"Can Lightning just ask one more thing?" Lightning says nervously.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Well, since you can't make promises right now, can Lightning at least promise that he won't vote for you? You don't gotta make a promise back."

Sky immediately shakes her head in disbelief. "Lightning, you can't make that kind of promise."

"Sure I can! Lightning knows he won't have to vote for you, because you're always so good at everything!"

"You really don't have to." Sky says as she tries to cover the blush that's forming on her face.

"Sha-please? Lightning wants to promise that to you."

Sky decides to finally give in. "Okay. If that makes you happy, then sure. But I'm still thinking the alliance thing through."

Lightning looks infinitely happier once she agrees. "Okay!"

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"Have you ever heard something so sweet before? I mean, I just- ugh! I really need to get it together."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The game is going on, and once again Leonard is out. Scarlett and B have proven themselves to be very good at both throwing and dodging. B throws two balls at once, getting Eva out.

While the strategy was successful, now all the balls are on Jasmine's side of the court.

"You're going down Beetles!" Jasmine yells. "This throw's for Shawn!"

Scarlett throws Jasmine a wicked smirk. "Hm, I almost forgot to tell you. We told Shawn we'd say hi to you for him. He was awfully sad he couldn't say goodbye to you."

Jasmine growls and throws the dodgeball straight to Scarlett with full force. To everyone's surprise, Scarlett catches the ball right before it hits her in the face.

"I'd learn to control your emotions while playing!" Scarlett shouts to Jasmine. "The anger makes your throws much too predictable."

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Knowing when to catch the ball involves simple application of aerodynamics. Unfortunately for the Beavers, brains beat brawn every time. Even in sports."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Before Jasmine can reply, Chris steps in front of her and yells "The Brainy Beetles win round one! Now, lets get ready for round two before Jasmine kills someone. Next up, Brains vs. Beauty!"

The Brains decide to have B play again this round, along with Courtney and Cameron. The Beauties go with Lindsay, Leshawna, and Sugar.

"Can you throw?" Courtney asks Cameron.

Cameron looks down at the gym floor. "Ummm..."

"I'm gonna take that as a no. New strategy, toss any balls you find to B and I, and avoid getting hit. Keep one ball to protect yourself. Okay?"

Cameron nods. "Okay."

Courtney looks up to B. "Are you good with that?"

B gives her a thumbs up.

 ***Confessional- Cameron***  
"I know we may not be able to outplay them, but we can always out-strategize."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Woo-we! I can't wait to get Miss Lawyer girl out! Bring it on, missy!" Sugar shouts across the gym. She sticks her tongue out at Courtney for emphasis.

Courtney says nothing, instead opting for her deadly glare.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"I swear, Sugar will be the first person I hit in this challenge. Although I'd prefer to do it with a chair, I guess a dodgeball would be the most appropriate."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The match starts, and it's pretty evenly matched for the time being. The Beetles implement their strategy with great success. Eventually Courtney makes a successful hit to Lindsay.

"Lindsay, you're out!" Chris yells.

"Sorry Lindsay!" Courtney shouts to her competitor.

"It's okay!" Lindsay yells from the bleachers.

While that's going on, Lightning goes up to DJ and asks to talk privately.

"Yeah sure dude, what's up? Scared of losing your precious snacks?" DJ says lightheartedly.

Lightning scoffs. "Psh, you wish man! But it's not that, I wanted to ask advice about... something else."

Now DJ's _really_ interested. "Go on..."

Lightning makes a loud gulp before he continues. "Well, Lightning's thinking about telling Sky that he really likes her. But he doesn't know if he should or not. She doesn't... seem like she's into me."

DJ's eyes go wide at Lightning's confession. "Dude, tell her. I'm pretty sure she likes you. She's just been through a lot here, guy-wise."

Lightning brightens up a little after hearing DJ's advice. "You really think so?"

"Definitely. Tell her tonight, once we're at the cabins."

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Two couples in one challenge? Man, this is just going too well for the Beavers."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Leshawna throws a ball at Cameron, only to narrowly miss the short man.

B then tosses the ball to Courtney, who whips it straight to Sugar. It hits her right in the gut.

"Ha! Eat it, bitch." The brunette yells to the pageant queen.

Sugar looks ready to attack until Chris tells her to go sit down. She begrudgingly obeys.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"I, do _not_ like Miss Bossy Pants Courtney. Maybe I can get Scarlett to get her outta the game sooner than she wanted."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Leshawna's the only Butterfly left on the court, while the Beetles still have all three campers. B and Courtney give each other a nod of approval before they both throw their dodgeball straight at her.

Leshawna doesn't stand a chance.

Chris blows a whistle and screams, "Leshawna's out! Which means... Congratulations to the Brainy Beetles! You won two games, so you are safe from tonight's vote!"

The Brainy Beetles begin to celebrate their surprise domination at the challenge. Scarlett makes sure to give Sugar a look before turning her head to the Brawn team.

Sugar gives her a gentle thumbs up in return.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"My main priority was to make sure that I am safe tonight, which I officially am. While I could care less about what happens to Sugar, I'd rather her team win in order to weaken the Beavers."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Okay campers!" Chris yells into the megaphone. "The final matchup will be between the Brawny Beavers and the Beautiful Butterflies! The winning team is safe, losing team votes off two of their own!"

The Butterflies have Dawn, Leshawna, and Sugar compete next. The Beavers pick Jo, Sky, and Lightning to compete, though not without protest from Brick.

"Why am I the benchwarmer?" Brick asks indignantly.

"Because, Brick-for-Brains, someone has to sit out, and you're too nice. Dodgeball's about hurting people." Jo retorts.

"Sky's nice!" He replies, pointing to the gymnast for emphasis.

"Yeah, and competitive. Plus she doesn't like Sugar. So deal with it."

Brick lets out a 'huff' in defiance, but sits down nonetheless.

"Brawn and Beauty, to the court! Winner takes all, losers lose twice as much!" Chris yells. "And... begin!"

The Beauty team each have a ball in their hands, but no one is ready to throw yet. Dawn and Leshawna look unsure of their next move.

Lightning has a dodgeball in his hands and a determined look on his face.

"Sha-bam! Jo, Sky, watch the Lightning strike- AH!"

As Lightning was making his speech, he gets hit with three dodgeballs at once. Apparently the Beauty team did know what to do.

DJ chuckles at his friend's fail. Brick straight up laughs at him.

 ***Confessional- Brick***  
"Okay, I'm not one to be happy about the failure of a teammate, but Lightning looking dumb in front of Jo will always be funny."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"God damn it Lightning!" Jo yells at her teammate.

"Lightning's out!" Chris announces. "Sorry dude, off to the bench with the other losers."

Lightning does as he's told. He's about to go sit with DJ and Jasmine, but instead decides to sit right next to Brick.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Lightning's tired of dancing around Brick's feelings. It's time to pull out the big guns and win this bet."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Sup, dude?" Lightning asks Brick as he sits down.

"Hey, nice job out there." Brick chuckles.

"Hm, funny." Lightning replies. "So anyway, I'm gonna ask you straight up. You wanna date Jo or not?"

Brick looks stunned. "Wait what? No, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Got it. I guess that's good. Lightning's thinking about asking her out tonight."

"What?!"

"Sha-yeah! We been getting along a lot better this time around, and we're so alike. Lightning thinks it makes sense."

Brick stammers out a reply. "No! I mean... I thought you... No!"

Lightning shrugs at Brick's incoherent response.

At that moment, Dawn throws a ball to Jo, who catches it with ease.

Chris shouts, "Dawn's out! Lightning's back in the game!"

Lightning jumps up in victory. "Sha-bam! Later Brick."

And with that, he joins Sky and Jo back on the court, leaving a confused Brick behind.

Seeing Brick's expression, Sky asks the athlete, "Lightning, what did you do?"

Lightning smirks, "Win the bet."

"Huh?" Sky says.

Lightning is about to explain, until a ball comes swerving in Sky's direction. It hits her in the stomach.

Chris chuckles. "Nice throw, Leshawna! Sky, go pop a squat at the bleachers."

Sky goes and sits next to Brick, who looks about ready to explode.

"Um..." Sky ponders, "you okay, Brick?"

Instead of answering the question, Brick stands up and shouts "JO!" at the top of his lungs.

"Huh?" Jo turns to Brick, clearly confused.

He yells back, "I need to tell you something!"

"Um, Brick, can you not right now? This is not the time!" Lightning shouts to him, but his pleas fall on deaf ears.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Oh no, no no no no no no no."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Brick just continues to pour out his feelings. "No, this is important! Jo, I like you, _really_ like you! I have for a long time, probably since our first season. Please don't go out with Lightning!"

Jo drops the dodgeball that was in her hands. "You mean it? You really like me?"

"Guys, this is not the time, we're in the middle of a- AH!" Lightning screams to get their attention, only to be hit by a dodgeball thrown by Sugar.

"Yes Jo, I mean it!" Brick shouts as Lightning gets out.

"I... I feel the same!" Jo replies.

As soon as Jo says that, Brick runs to the court and kisses Jo full force. After a moment of shock, Jo happily leans in.

DJ and Jasmine both let out an "awww", at the scene before them, while Lightning, Sky, and Eva are yelling at them to focus.

Leshawna and Sugar look at each other, unsure of how to proceed. Sugar gives her teammate a shrug and throws one of the dodgeballs straight for Jo.

It's a direct hit.

"Ow!" Jo yells, breaking away from her first kiss. "What the hell was that for?"

"Jo is out!" Chris shouts into the megaphone. "The Beautiful Butterflies survive another week!"

"YES!" Leshawna screams, pulling Sugar into a tight hug. Lindsay and Dawn join the two on the court to celebrate the win.

Jo looks devastated. "Wait, what? That's not fair! I was distracted!"

"We know, we saw it." Chris says to the jock. "Unfortunately, challenges are not recommended for confessions of love."

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"I told Eva what would happen if her team held in their emotions for too long. Now they have to face the consequences of their actions."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"So..." Chris continues. "Brawny Beavers, I will see you tonight at the Campfire Ceremony, where two of you will be going home."

The whole Brawn team looks devastated at the fact. As they leave the gym, the team all walks separately from each other.

Jo and Brick are the only two walking together, and they are at the very end.

"I'm sorry." Brick mumbles to Jo.

"Wait, why?" Jo looks worried at the apology.

"I shouldn't have told you. Not at the challenge at least. But Lightning said he was going to ask you out and I knew I had to say something and-"

Jo gives him a quick kiss to quiet him. "I'm not mad. I know I should be, but I'm not. I wasn't exactly focused on the game at that moment myself."

With that, she intertwines her hand with Brick's.

"You know Lightning was just trying to get you to ask me out sooner, right? We're just friends." Jo adds in.

"Yeah, I kind of figured that now." Brick chuckles.

"What's the laugh for?" Jo asks.

"I think that's the first time you've said that you and Lightning are friends."

"Huh... I guess it is."

 ***Confessional- Jo***  
"Brick's an idiot. Lightning's also an idiot. Of course the two people I'm closest with on this team are also the dumbest. Knowing this, I don't think I'd have it any other way."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

* * *

 _*Campfire Ceremony*_  
"Well Brawny Beavers, welcome to your first Campfire Ceremony!" Chris announces to the losing team.

Everyone looks uncomfortable, but particularly Sky, Lightning, Jo, and Brick. Jo and Brick are sitting side-by-side, still holding hands. Sky and Lightning couldn't be farther away from each other unless they left the campground entirely.

Chris continues with his speech. "I'd say it's a surprise for you to be here, but really I'm just shocked it took you this long to lose. No offense, but your team's a mess. And since I'm pretty sure we _all_ know who's going home today, I'm going to just toss you your marshmallows in order of who's least at fault to most at fault. Got it?"

The team sadly nods. Chris places the marshmallows in front of him.

"Eva, for being the sanest man on your team, you get the first marshmallow."

Eva catches her marshmallow without even looking at Chris.

"Sky, you were Lightning's partner-in-crime. Jasmine, your boyfriend getting eliminated made everyone think about their own love lives. A marshmallow for each of you."

The two females each catch their marshmallow. Sky sneaks a glance over at Lightning after the marshmallow lands in her hand.

"DJ, you kept pushing Jo to make a move. Lightning, you did the same with Brick. Your plans were successful, but at a cost. Nevertheless, you each get a marshmallow."

DJ catches his marshmallow with a sad look on his face. Lightning doesn't even try to catch his.

Jo and Brick are the last two left. Neither seem particularly surprised.

"Jo and Brick, what can I say? You messed up today, and for that you are going home." Chris says, "Buttttt as a couple! So congrats, I guess."

"Yeah, we figured." Brick says. As he and Jo stand up, he faces his team and continues. "Thank you guys for a great time, we're grateful that you gave us the push we needed."

"Yeah, what Brick said." Jo adds.

The rest of the team stands up to say their goodbyes.

Lightning waits from the sidelines as the team gives Jo and Brick their hugs. Finally Jo approaches him.

"Lightning's sorry." He tells Jo.

Jo pulls him into a bear hug. "I know."

"Lightning didn't vote for you."

Jo nods and gives her friend a small smile. "I know. Go kick some ass for me, okay?"

Lightning smiles back. "Of course."

Chris speaks up now. "Brick, Jo, the Slingshot of Defeat awaits."

The scene cuts to the Slingshot of Defeat, where Jo and Brick are both ready to be sent off.

They don't say anything else to their former teammates, knowing that they've already said everything they needed to.

They just give them a small wave before they go hurdling over the lake.

Eva, DJ, and Jasmine begin to walk back, leaving Sky and Lightning by themselves.

"Lightning..." Sky says nervously.

"Sha-yeah?" Lightning says back.

"I don't think I can be in an alliance with you. I'm so sorry." She can't bring herself to look him in the eye.

Lightning shakes his head in agreement. "It's okay. Lightning was thinking the same thing."

Sky nods and runs to the cabins. Lightning lets out a sigh and walks slowly, wanting to be by himself for awhile.

The camera turns to Chris. "Damn, kind of a downer, huh? Will the Brawny Beavers be able to move past this? Do the other teams stand a chance now? That and more will be revealed next time on Total Drama... Brains! Versus Brawn! Versus Beauty!"

 **•End of Episode Six•**

* * *

 **Yes I know, I'm horrible. Jo and Brick are two of my favorites, so giving them a proper send of was both exciting and saddening.**

 **Here is a breakdown of the votes. They don't serve much importance this round:**  
 **Brick- DJ & Jasmine**  
 **DJ- Jo & Brick**  
 **Eva- Jo & Brick**  
 **Jasmine- Jo & Brick**  
 **Jo- DJ & Jasmine**  
 **Lightning- Brick & Eva**  
 **Sky- Jo & Brick**

 **I imagine that Brick and Jo would vote for DJ and Jasmine by process of elimination. Eva hasn't done anything wrong, and they're both close to Sky and Lightning. The same goes for Lightning, who voted for Eva solely because he wouldn't vote for Jo, DJ, Jasmine, or Sky.**

* * *

 **While there were some moments with the other teams, this chapter is all about the Brawny Beavers. This makes sense, since it's their first elimination and they lost two members. Side note, I know this double elimination is ridiculously close to Anne Maria & Justin's elimination. This only happened because Anne Maria and Justin's sendoff was a last minute decision. Chris' comment to Leshawna about them "not being able to make up their minds" is actually a jab at myself! **

**Please pay attention to who gets eliminated, how they get eliminated, and what former competitors are mentioned. They will be relevant in future chapters (and some will have a chance to return).**

 **So here's a breakdown of my thought process for this chapter. More specifically, why Jo and Brick. As much as I love romance stories, I didn't want this fic to be all about couples, and there were two developing ones on the Brawny Beavers (aka more than half their team). Brick and Jo have already had a season of tension and character building, where as Sky and Lightning have just met. Between the two choices, it was clear which pair could use more time.**

 **Jo and Brick's sendoff also creates a bump in the road for Lightning and Sky. At the heart of it, they are both competitive people that are here to win. That's their main priority. And for awhile, it seemed like their crushes were about to become the new priority. But now that they've seen what happened to Jo and Brick, something snapped in them. Now they're going to attempt to ignore their feelings completely. We'll see how that goes.**

 **Lightning and DJ both feel some guilt at their part in Jo and Brick's elimination, especially Lightning. But at the end of the day it is Jo and Brick's fault, because they picked the worst possible time to confess to each other. Like Dawn said, that's what happens when you hold your feelings in for too long. I know that their confession is a little OOC, but I figured since this is most likely their first relationship, they're going to be rather emotional about it.**

 **Eva as always is trying to come to grips with the state of her team. Her talk with Dawn will definitely do her some good, but we'll see how this elimination affects that.**

 **I'm curious to see what everyone thought about Jasmine's reaction to Shawn being voted out. I think the way I wrote it was the most reasonable reaction that could have happened. She was obviously upset about it, but she knew that him going was always a possibility. She can't change the fact that he's gone, so all she can do is focus on her game.**

 **Please don't hesitate to like, follow, and especially review. All your beautiful comments thus far have made me so happy!**

* * *

 **Eliminated: Harold, Topher, Anne Maria, Justin, Shawn, Brick, Jo**


	8. You, Me, and the CIT

**Hello beautiful people! Finally we have a new chapter! Thank you to everyone that has commented or messaged me about the story, especially the chapters that I was more worried about! Keep being your wonderful selves!**

* * *

 **Brainy Beetles: B, Cameron, Courtney, Leonard, Scarlett**

 **Brawny Beavers: DJ, Eva, Jasmine, Lightning, Sky**

 **Beautiful Butterflies: Dawn, Leshawna, Lindsay, Sugar**

* * *

 ***Last Episode Recap***  
"Last time on Total Drama... love was in the air at Pahkitew Island. Unfortunately, so was stupidity. After her boyfriend's sendoff, Jasmine vowed to get Scarlett eliminated. She also vowed to get Jo and Brick together through a bet with DJ, Lightning, and Sky. Scarlett had a few plans of her own, mainly to get the Brawny Beavers to lose. At the challenge, 3-on-3 dodgeball, the Brawny Beavers got their wish when Jo and Brick confessed their feelings to each other. Unfortunately, they confessed in the middle of the final game. Lightning and Sky won the bet by getting Jo and Brick jealous, but are no longer speaking after seeing that romance ruins gameplay. Jo and Brick may have found true love, but their team couldn't find a reason to keep them, and they were sent packing in a double elimination. Will the Brawny Beavers make a comeback? Will strategy overcome love yet again? We might just find out now, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"  
 ***End Recap***

* * *

The two winning teams are sitting on large blankets outside the cabins. For the first time, they are all in one big group. The women have taken to painting their nails underneath the porch lights. The men are sitting near by, joining in on the conversations every now and then. Well, Cameron and Leonard did.

"Oh B! This color matches your aura perfectly! You must let me paint your nails! Please?" Dawn asks.

B just gives a shrug and sticks out his hand for Dawn to paint.

"Oh, I'm so glad we finally got to do this!" Lindsay announces as she's painting Courtney's nails. "It's so much fun!"

Courtney nods. "Agreed. We don't get to destress like this very often."

"Well, we'd be able to do it again if the Brawny Beavers lost more." Scarlett adds suggestively.

"Um... yeah. Maybe it'll be a more even match now that they'll have five members instead of seven." Leshawna replies.

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"I know what Scarlett's suggesting, but I'm not willing to agree to sabotage the Brawny Beavers. As long as my final four deal with DJ, Courtney, and Lindsay stands, I need to stay as neutral as possible."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Who do you think's gettin' the boot tonight?" Sugar asks as she's painting Leshawna's toes.

"Jo and Brick. Definitely." Courtney says immediately.

"I don't know, I don't think anyone's expected the past few eliminations. We could be in for quite a shock." Cameron reminds them.

"I feel a new presence in our midst." Dawn says, "The Brawny Beavers are approaching. And by the feel of their energies, there is great sadness amongst them."

Leonard sighs out, "Yes, but that could mean anyone. They were all quite close!"

"They're here!" Sugar shouts.

The first three to come into sight are Jasmine, DJ, and Eva. No one is surprised to see that they're all safe. Sky comes sprinting past them, dodging the looks of her peers. She runs into the cabin, not in the mood to talk with anyone.

Lightning comes into view shortly after, walking lazily behind everyone else. While Jasmine, DJ, and Eva stop to talk with the Beetles and Butterflies, Lightning goes into his side of the cabin without so much as a word to anyone.

 ***Confessional- DJ & Jasmine***  
"Soooo..." DJ says awkwardly, "Jo and Brick got together."

"Then eliminated." Jasmine adds in. "Which freaked out Sky and Lightning, who are now avoiding each other like the plague."

"We may have caused more harm than good."

"Definitely."

DJ looks to Jasmine. "I'm still kind of proud of us though?"

Jasmine nods in agreement. "Definitely."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Sooo... how'd it go?" Sugar asks to ease the tension. Her fellow Beauty women all stare at her in disbelief. "What? They all look like someone just dropped dead!"

"It went... about as well as we expected it would." DJ says nervously.

"Yes, we didn't want to assume, but figured it'd be Jo and Brick to be eliminated." Cameron concluded.

"Yeah, it wasn't an easy vote but I think we made the right choice." Jasmine says.

"But if you'd excuse us, I think we need to talk to our teammates now. We need to figure some stuff out." Eva announces. With a curt nod, Jasmine and Eva go into the girls' side of the Brawn cabin, and DJ goes to the boys' side.

"Well that was awkward." Leonard says to the Beauty and Brain teams.

"Well, it's like Leshawna said- maybe we'll have a better chance at winning." Scarlett says firmly.

"I guess so..." Courtney replies.

"Can we finish painting nails now?" Lindsay asks.

"Sure Lindsay, sounds great." Leshawna assures her.

The Beetles and Butterflies resume their places at the front of the cabins.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Not only did we exterminate the Brawny Beaver's advantage through this double elimination, but they're all visibly shaken by it. I'm not sure if I could've picked a better ending myself."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Eva and Jasmine tread carefully into the cabin. They see Sky laying in bed, her face turned towards them. She isn't crying anymore, but her face is clearly tear-stained.

"Hey Sky. How are you holding up?" Jasmine says as she sits on the bed next to her.

Sky mutters out "Fine".

Eva replies, "You sure as hell don't look it. Something happen with you and Lightning?"

"No, not really. It's just... I think I was starting to really like him."

Jasmine raises an eyebrow. "Was?"

"Yeah, was. After seeing what happened with Jo and Brick, there's no way Lightning and I can be more than teammates."

Jasmine lets out a sigh. "Sky, I know that focusing on the competition is important, but ignoring your feelings altogether isn't the answer either."

Eva nods. "Jasmine's right. Jo and Brick went home because they lost us the challenge, not because they had a crush on each other."

"But it was their crushes that lost us the challenge." Sky reminds them.

"Well, yeah, but..." Eva attempts to explain.

Sky interrupts her before she can finish "Nope, I've made up my mind. No more crushes, no more distractions, no more Lightning. I am not going to lose because of a boy again."

Jasmine sighs. "Okay mate... if you think that's best."

"I do."

 ***Confesstional- Jasmine & Eva***  
"Let the record show that we both agree that Sky and Lightning ignoring each other is going to end badly." Jasmine states.

Eva nods in agreement. "Very badly."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

DJ and Lightning are sitting on the floor of their side of the cabin. Lightning is leaning against his and DJ's bunk, while DJ is sitting on what was Brick's bed. They're both eating some of Lightning's granola bars. If the pile of wrappers beside them is any indication, they've been at this for awhile.

"So I'm guessing you're taking today really hard, huh?" DJ asks his bunkmate.

"Psh, Lightning don't know what you're talking about." Lightning replies as he shoves another granola bar into his mouth.

"Dude, you're totally stress eating right now."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"So, how did it go with Sky? Did you tell her how you felt?"

Lightning shakes his head. "No, and I'm not going to either. Lightning gotta stop worrying about a crush and focus on the game."

"Wait, what? You've liked her since the day you met. No way you can get over her that quickly."

"Lightning can and Lightning will. Sky and the Lightning are better as competitors anyway."

"I love ya man, but you're so full of shit right now." DJ says with a disappointed look on his face.

Lightning starts to get angry. "Dude, do you not remember anything that happened today? Lightning can't tell Sky he likes her now, look at what happened with Jo and Brick!"

"That doesn't mean you can't like Sky!" DJ yells. "It just means you can't be... open about it? Wait, that's not right. I was trying to make a different point."

"Look, the Lightning's made up his mind. We gotta get back to winning so we don't lose anymore team members. Sky gets that, so you should too."

DJ nods sadly, admitting defeat. "Alright dude, I support you. We'll make it to the merge together, okay?"

Lightning smiles for the first time since they lost the dodgeball challenge. "Okay."

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Jo wasn't just Lightning's friend, she was my closest ally. Now the only way to make sure I'm safe is to win all the challenges. The Beavers can't lose because of a crush or nothin'."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

As the Beavers were moping in their cabins, the Beetles and Butterflies were continuing their bonding outside.

"Darn, that sure did look like an intense elimination!" Sugar exclaims to the group.

"Yeah, I think they're taking this really hard." Lindsay replies.

"I can't help but feel bad for Lightning and Sky. They seem pretty devastated." Cameron adds in.

"Wait, don't you and Lightning like, _hate_ each other?" Courtney asks. "Didn't you beat him in the finale of your season?"

Cameron pauses for a moment to think about his response. "I wouldn't say hate, but I was terrified of him. But we haven't really talked since then, and he does seem to have calmed down substantially."

"All the more reason to be weary of him." Scarlett suggests. "Lightning made it to final two on his first try when he was disagreeable at best. Imagine what he could do now that he's made friends."

Cameron looks to Scarlett, and then to Courtney, and back to Scarlett again. "You could say that about a lot of people here."

 ***Confessional- Cameron***  
"Scarlett has been in charge for too long now. I'm not letting the bullies put me down this season. I need to find a way to take her out and fast."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Before Scarlett could reply, an alarm rang through the campgrounds.

"Goooodddd night campers!" Chris yells through the intercoms. "I'm sure some of you were planning on getting a good night's rest tonight. Well, I'm here to let you know you'll be thoroughly disappointed by that. Meet outside your team's respective cabins for further instructions."

"Dammnit!" Eva shouts from the Brawny Beavers cabin.

Seeing as how everyone was already at camp, it doesn't take long for the teams to go to their cabins.

Chris and Chef arrive in their golf cart. They look cheerful as ever, especially compared to the miserable looks of the contestants before them.

"What is it now, Chris?" Jasmine directs towards the host.

"This literally could not have happened at a worse time." Eva adds in, arms crossed in disdain and all.

Chris snickers at the remarks. "Brawny Beavers, still upset from the Campfire Ceremony I see?" When they say nothing in return, he continues with, "If you hate losing that much, I'd recommend winning next time."

Again, the team responds with glares. Sky mutters "asshole" under her breath. Lightning chuckles at the remark, almost surprised as Sky herself that she was the one who said it. The two both blush, but say nothing. DJ offers a chuckle of his own.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"I see Sky and Lightning ignoring each other is going well for them."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Sha-nope, not happening."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"Nopeeeeee."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris, fully satisfied with his treatment of the Brawn Team, turns to address the campers as a whole. " _Anyway_ , before I was rudely interrupted, I was about to announce something I know you'll be excited to hear! Campers, it's time for..."

"Magic show?" Leonard asks.

"Merge?" Leshawna guesses.

"For the love of God, please be new teams." Eva mutters to herself.

"Nopeeeee!" Chris yells. "It's time for... your next challenge! _After Dark!_ "

"Why... would we _possibly_ be excited about another challenge?" Courtney says in a monotonous tone.

"Because it's _at night_!" Chris replies enthusiastically.

The contestants just reply wth groans. Chris continues on. "Hope you got some sleep last night, because this challenge will likely go until morning. Chef, care to explain how it will work?"

Chef nods and begins to speak into the megaphone. "Alright, listen up! The goal of this challenge is to find three keys around camp. Each key will also contain a limerick that will lead you to the next key."

"Why limericks?" Lindsay asks.

"I was feeling _whimsical!_ " Chefs yells back. "Anyway, the last team to make it to the finish line will be the losers, and will go to the Campfire Ceremony like the losers they are. We good?"

Everyone nods.

Chef nods back. "Good. Oh, and by the way, I'd watch out for each other if I were you. This challenge will be a lot more difficult with less members."

A loud "gulp" can be heard amongst the campers.

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"Hm, my guess is that this is a challenge in which we will have to stick together as a team, or risk losing members. Since the Beautiful Butterflies are a team of four, this may be to our advantage."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"So, we're playing at night, we have to run around everywhere, and we may have some team members go missing? I don't know what I did to deserve this, but whatever it is, I'm sorry."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris takes the megaphone from Chef. "Your challenge will begin after I read this limerick, which will lead you to the location of your first clue. And pay attention, because I _won't_ read it again. Ready?"

Everyone silently shakes their head.

"Okay, campers, here is your clue:  
 _You might not wish to hover_  
 _If the first clue you hope to discover_  
 _Go to where you eat_  
 _And look under the seats_  
 _To find what you must uncover._ "

Chris pauses for a moment before speaking into the megaphone. "Alright, you've gotten your limerick, now... off to the keys!"

The teams immediately begin to spring into action. The Beautiful Butterflies huddle together quickly to discuss the game plan.

"Oooo, I know where that is, the dining hall!" Sugar shouts victoriously.

"Sugar, shhhh!" Leshawna whispers to her teammate.

When the pageant queen looks at her in a confused manner, Leshawna just brushes it off and continues. "Nevermind, forget it. Beauties, let's head to the dining hall, and fast!"

"Yes, mam'!" Sugar yells with a playful salute. They all run to their destination at full speed.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Leshawna thinks she's the boss lady around here. I think she'll find out soon enough that she's gettin' a little too big for her britches."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The Brawny Beavers have a much slower start. They were also able to quickly find out that the limerick meant the dining hall.

After the destination was confirmed, most of the team left without hesitation. Key word, most. By the time that most of the team is halfway to the location, DJ still hasn't left the porch.

 ***Confessional-DJ***  
"Look, I don't do well in the dark. The first challenge I ever got eliminated in was a horror one where campers went missing. I know it's an irrational fear, but it's still affecting me."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The other Brawny Beavers pause their run when they realize that DJ isn't with them. By where they are standing, they can only see a faint outline of their teammate standing at their cabin's porch.

"Is he okay? Should we go get him?" Sky asks the team.

Eva rolls her eyes. "He's fine, just scared. Come on, we have a challenge to win."

Jasmine takes a hold of Eva's shoulder to prevent her from running off. "We can't just leave him. You heard Chef, the more teammates we have the better."

Lightning steps forward to speak. "You guys go ahead. Lightning will go get him."

Sky looks worried. "You sure?"

Lightning nods. "Yeah, we gotta challenge to win! DJ and I will meet you at the mess hall in no time."

Before anyone can object, Eva says loudly, "Perfect, let's go."

Instead of going in the direction of the dining hall, Jasmine goes towards the cabins. "I'm going with Lightning."

Eva lets out an annoyed groan. "Oh my god, why?"

"We're less likely to get taken out of the challenge if we go in pairs." Jasmine replies confidently.

Eva sighs and says back, "Okay fine. Sky, let's go."

Sky looks like she's about to say something, but opts to run to the mess hall with Eva instead.

No one comments on the disheartened look on Lightning's face as Sky runs off.

 ***Confessional- Eva***  
"After the last vote I'm trying to be more supportive, but I can only do so much. Our team has a lot they need to resolve, but right now we need to focus on the challenge."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Jasmine nudges Lightning out of his thoughts and says, "Come on dude, lets go find DJ."

Lightning gives her a small smile and replies with a, "Sha-bam! Let's go!"

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"The Brawny Beavers clearly need to work through some things. At the same time, I need to ensure my safety no matter what happens. DJ and I are close, and DJ's pretty tight with Lightning. With Jo gone, DJ's probably his closest ally. I'm hoping that makes us an unofficial trio of sorts."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Lightning and Jasmine make it to the cabins in no time. But when they get there, DJ is nowhere to be found. They both know there's no use looking for him.

Jasmine lets out a deep breath she didn't know she was holding in.

"Shit."

Like the two teams before them, the Brainy Beetles were able to figure out that they had to go to the dining hall.

With all the teams running there at once, it was easy for Cameron to get lost in the chaos. He decides to use this to his advantage and pulls Courtney aside.

"Courtney, I need to talk to you urgently." He tells the brunette.

Courtney looks forward in the direction they're jogging when she answers. "What's wrong?"

"It's Scarlett. She's getting too powerful. We need to do something soon if we ever want a chance in the game."

Courtney stops running for a moment. Cameron can tell she's thinking about her answer.

Finally she quietly sighs and says, "I know. But it can't be done like this."

Cameron just looks more confused. "Please elaborate, if you don't mind."

Courtney begins to jog again, only this time more slowly. Cameron follows after her.

"You can't just make a simple plan to vote out Scarlett. She'll see that coming from a mile away. Shawn tried that, and look what happened. You have to think smarter." Courtney explains.

"How do we do that?" Cameron asks her.

By now they have reached the dining hall, with most of the campers already inside.

Courtney looks Cameron in the eye when she speaks next. "I don't know yet, but we'll figure it out. Now, go ahead before Scarlett suspects something."

"What? But, the challenge..." Cameron questions.

"I'll be okay, just going to wait a minute before going in. Tell them you last saw me comforting DJ at the cabins."

Cameron nods. "Okay, see you soon!" And with that, he goes in.

Courtney waits a minute before heading in herself. However, the moment she takes a step towards the mess hall, someone grabs her out of frame. She never makes it inside.

Jasmine and Lightning make it to the dining hall shortly after Courtney's disappearance. Sky and Eva are both confused when they don't see DJ.

"Where's the brick house?" Eva asks.

"He wasn't there when we got there. We think they pulled him from the challenge." Jasmine informs them.

"Damn, so they're not leaving any leeway room for us, huh?" Eva replies back.

The rest of the Beavers nod silently to her, slightly unsure of where to go from there. They're pulled out of their trance when they hear Sugar yell "FOUND IT!", as she flips over the seat.

Sure enough, there are three envelopes underneath the seat, each one sporting a different team color.

Leshawna grabs the purple one and says, "Sugar, you need to be quieter. You're giving all the clues away!"

Sugar rolls her eyes, but Dawn speaks before she can argue back.

"Let's read the next limerick!" The tiny blonde opens the envelope and reads quietly to her team:  
 _"To find the first key of the night,_  
 _The beach is where you'll get it right._  
 _For under the docks,_  
 _Your team's 'X' marks the spot,_  
 _But keep all your teammates in sight!"_

"Ooh, we get to go to the beach!" Lindsay squeals.

Leshawna nods and motions for her team to follow her.

Sugar is particularly annoyed now. "Oh, so when Lindsay announces the answer, it's all dandy, but when I-"

"Sugar, stop please." Dawn whispers to her.

Leshawna glares at Sugar, but says nothing.

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"Sugar's walking on very thin ice right now. For her sake, I hope we don't lose."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"Looks like our solid group of four isn't so solid. I've been playing the middle-man for awhile, maybe too long. Some decisions will have to be made soon."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The Brainy Beetles have their own clue at this point, and have determined where they need to go.

"Well, since DJ is gone, I'm assuming that Courtney will also not be participating in the rest of this challenge." Scarlett declares to the team.

Everyone nods at this. Cameron looks even more uneasy than before.

"Yes, she is gone with the night!" Leonard yells.

"Shut up." Scarlett mutters back. "We have to hurry, and hope to catch up to Beauty."

The team begins to run to the beach. Scarlett stays a little behind with B, so they're out of earshot of Cameron and Leonard.

Scarlett turns her head to face the tall man. "B, may I have a moment of our time? I believe I have an offer that will benefit both of us."

B shakes his head yes.

"In the event of our team's defeat, I think it will be best to vote for Cameron. I'm sure you've noticed that Courtney, Leonard and I always vote together?"

B shakes his head yes again.

"It's very likely that the vote will come down to you and Cameron. Now, I wish to work with you, but Courtney has been adamant about voting you out. But if you vote with us, her opinion will not matter. If you wish to remain in the game, you'll consider this. You may run ahead to the rest of our team now, I'll catch up in a second."

B shrugs and does as he's told, leaving Scarlett behind. But instead of making any effort to catch up, the redhead just stays in place.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Purposefully having myself taken out of the challenge is a calculated move. Leonard will certainly not stray from my side, but Courtney very well might. By pulling myself out, I ensure that I will be in close proximity to her for the rest of challenge. Therefore she will not have time to make plans with anyone else."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Just as Scarlett predicted, she's taken out within minutes.

The Brawny Beavers are the last team to receive their clue, but they decipher it just as fast as everyone else.

"Let's pick up the pace, Beavers, we're trailing behind!" Eva shouts to her team.

"We can sha-see that, scary girl." Lightning mumbles under his breath.

Eva turns to him and asks, "Got something to to say?"

Lightning looks to the ground and mutters back a quick "Nope".

Jasmine looks at her three remaining teammates with concern.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"The Beavers are getting rather snippy with each other, which will certainly affect our challenge performance. Lightning looks especially upset. I think not talking to Sky is getting to him."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The Australian runs next to Sky and whispers, "Psh, Sky."

Sky turns her head to Jasmine and replies, "What?"

"Lightning's starting to look sad. Maybe challenge him to a race? He seems to like racing with you a lot."

Sky shakes her head in disagreement. "That doesn't really help me keep my distance from him. Besides, that's not a-"

Jasmine interrupts her. "What? You can't have fun with a teammate? Sure we can, look..."

"Wait, no!" Sky tries to stop her, but it falls on deaf ears.

"Hey Lightning, I'll race ya!" Jasmine shouts to the Beaver man.

"Sha-bam! You're on, girl!" Lightning yells as he starts running at full speed. He sprints past all of his teammates and is eventually out of sight.

"No!" Sky yells again.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"Lightning is a very fast runner, probably one of the fastest runners on the island. So, challenging him to a race in a challenge where we are all supposed to stick together is probably not a smart choice. Just saying."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Whoops."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

By this time the Beautiful Butterflies are reaching the beach. Leshawna and Dawn are currently leading the pack. Sugar and Lindsay are trailing behind.

"Gee girl, the beach sure does look different at night!" Sugar tells Lindsay.

Lindsay looks around in awe. "Oh my god, I knowwww! It's just sooo pretty!"

Sugar points to the far end of the beach, past the docks. "Lets go check out over there for a sec! I bet that'd be a great place to find the key!"

Lindsay looks confused. "Umm, I'm pretty sure the clue said it's under the dock."

"It could be a trick! You know how Chris and Chef like ta' trick is like that!"

"Well, that's true..." Lindsay says, slightly more convinced. "We can cover more ground that way and find the key faster!"

"Great idea, Lindsay!" Sugar yells enthusiastically. "Quick, you go over there and check! I'll let the others know where we are!"

"Okay!" Lindsay replies. She runs over to the discussed spot without hesitation. When she's out of sight, Sugar looks to the camera with a smirk.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"After winning a challenge by herself, Lindsay's looking pretty good to the rest of the team. What better way to knock her down a few pegs by makin' sure she's the first out of this challenge?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Sugar goes running over to Leshawna and Dawn, who are now by the docks.

"Sugar, where have you been?" Dawn asks.

"Where's Lindsay?" Leshawna adds.

"She vanished! I got no idea where she went! She just ran off to the other side of da' beach and a-didn't come back! I think she's out for the challenge!" Sugar yells, panting from running so fast.

Leshawna glares at Sugar wearily. "Uh-huh..."

Dawn sighs. "Well, there's nothing we can do about it now. Let's just dig for the key. We're looking for a X'."

Leshawna and Sugar just shake their head in silence.

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"No way Lindsay just ran off without any prompting. I'd bet all the prize money that there's more to Sugar's story than she's letting on."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"Oh, Sugar was definitely lying. Or at least, not telling the full truth. But there's no use in creating more tension, especially when I might need Sugar for future votes."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The three remaining Brainy Beetles are also at the docks, with Cameron underneath them looking around.

"Have you seen anything?" Leonard shouts.

After a few moments, Cameron shouts back "Yes! I see a red 'X'! Oh, there's another one nearby though, it looks... purple?!

"Look for the yellow one, that's our team color!" Leonard yells. B gives them both a thumbs up in approval.

"I think I found it, I'm going to start digging!" Cameron yells again. After a few minutes, he comes up from under the docks with a key and a piece of paper attached to it.

"Success!" Leonard exclaims, his hands outstretched in victory. "Let's read the next clue!"

Cameron nods and opens up the piece of paper to read aloud. The two other men huddle close together so they can hear.

Cameron whispers to them:  
 _"You might want to pick up the pace._  
 _For next stop is the most recent space,_  
 _That a challenge was held,_  
 _And it didn't end well,_  
 _For the Beavers, who got last place."_

"Quick, we must make haste to the gymnasium!" Leonard yells. The three start running together towards their destination.

 ***Confessional- Leonard***  
"Us lads are doing a fine job at this challenge! No doubt that we will be the victors of this quest, and our enemies will succumb to our greatness!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Just as the Brawny Beavers are arriving to the beach, the Beautiful Butterflies are also leaving, with the key and and clue in hand.

"I'm going under the docks to dig for the key, be right back." Eva says promptly.

Jasmine and Sky are left to themselves while Eva's looking. Jasmine notices that Sky is looking around the beach.

"Looking for something, Sky?" She asks teasingly.

Sky snaps out of her daze and looks to Jasmine. "Huh? Oh, no... why would you ask?"

"You just look like you're looking for something... or someone? Maybe a certain Brawny Beaver that ran off?" Jasmine nudges Sky at the last part.

Sky blushes slightly. "It's good to keep an eye out just in case our team members didn't actually go missing. But he probably did, so I guess it doesn't matter."

Jasmine pats her lightly on the back. "If you say so."

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Look, all I'm saying is Sky didn't look that worried until Lightning went missing."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Eva comes out from under the docks with a key and clue in hand. After reading it they quickly head to the gym.

The other two teams have already made it, and are both looking around for the key. The Butterflies are looking all around the bleachers, while the Beetles have monopolized the supply closet.

"It's got to be under the bleachers somewhere, all the other clues were _under_ something." Leshawna says.

"Maybe that's part of the trick? Maybe it's, around the gym outside or something?" Sugar offers.

Leshawna gives her a glare in return, even though she knows Sugar can't see her. "If you think so, why don't you go look yourself?"

"Fine, I will!" Sugar yells. She storms outside to look around, determined to prove Leshawna wrong. She's taken from the challenge within minutes.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Okay, so maybe I didn't think that one through."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"I really don't think the key will be outside." Dawn tells Leshawna.

"I don't either," Leshawna replies "but it got rid of Sugar."

Dawn rolls her eyes playfully at this and chuckles.

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"I want to be mad at Leshawna for weakening our team, but I can't. Our team's certainly quieter without Sugar around."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The Brainy Beetles aren't fairing much better in the supply closet.

"We've looked everywhere! I don't think the keys are in here!" Cameron concludes.

"Alas, I spotted the fair maiden Sugar going to look outside! Perhaps the key is out there!" Leonard exclaims.

"Leonard, I really don't think it's out there." Cameron tries to reason with him. It proves to be useless, as Leonard is already out the door.

"I hope you both realize he isn't coming back now." Dawn tells B and Cameron from across the gym.

"Yeah, we figured." Cameron replies. B nods his head in agreement.

A few minutes after Sugar and Leonard's disappearance, the Brawny Beaver women come barging in the gym. They're all relieved to see that both teams are still searching for their keys.

"Well, Beauty's combing through the bleachers, and Brain's looking through... the bathrooms, I think? So we should look elsewhere." Jasmine tells her teammates.

Eva looks around and retorts, "There's not really much else to look through. All that's left is the gym floor. They haven't even cleaned up the dodge balls from the last challenge."

"Wait a minute..." Sky surveys the gym floor that Eva just mention.

"What is it Sky?" Jasmine asks.

"The dodgeballs... they're all either red, yellow, or purple." Sky snaps her fingers in realization. "Look through the red ones. I think our key will be attached to one of them."

Eva shakes her head. "I like the way you think."

The trio get to searching through the dodge balls. Sure enough, after about 30 seconds Jasmine finds their key and clue taped to a red one.

"Got it!" She whispers to her team. She hands the paper to Sky and says "Care to do the honors?"

Sky giggles and gently takes the paper. "Of course." She opens it up reads the limerick:  
 _"If a key is what you must find,_  
 _Go to where your team unwinds._  
 _And let us not be mistaken,_  
 _It's the bed of the person first taken,_  
 _That the key will be found- use your_ _mind_ _!"_

"The cabins." Eva tells her team. "We gotta go to our team cabin. I bet it's in DJ's bed."

The other two girls nod. They all promptly run out of the gym without saying another word.

Dawn points to where the Beavers last stood before leaving. "Leshawna, the dodge balls! I think that's where the Beavers found the clue!"

Leshawna nods and goes over with Dawn to the dodge balls. They begin to search through the purple ones.

"I found it!" Leshawna declares. "We gotta go to our cabin, the next key is there!"

"Alright, lets go!" Dawn replies.

B and Cameron follow the two previous teams' actions. They search through the yellow balls, where B finds their key in less than a minute.

"Alright B, let's go!" Cameron shouts as they're about to run outside. Suddenly the lights go off completely, leaving the gym pitch black.

Cameron screams and cowers in fear. When the lights go back on moments later, B is nowhere to be found.

"Hey, B... you there?" Cameron stutters out. "Oh man..."

 ***Confessional- Cameron***  
"Well, I guess the rest of this challenge is up to me. I'm not very optimistic."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

At this point, the Brawny Beaver women have finally made it to their cabins. Well, two out of three did.

"Where's Eva?" Jasmine asks.

"Um... wasn't she behind you?" Sky asks nervously.

"No, I thought she was in front of you!" Jasmine replies just as worried.

"We must have lost her somewhere in the woods." Sky concludes.

Jasmine looks around to get an intake of the scene. There's no sigh of Eva or the other teams anywhere. "Well mate, I guess it's just us two. I'm guessing the clue is under DJ's bed, right?"

Sky nods in agreement. "It did say the person first taken, so it'd have to be him."

The pair hear a rustle in the woods from where they entered. Not a moment later do Dawn and Leshawna emerge from it.

"We better hurry now before the Butterflies catch up!" Jasmine yells, pointing to the approaching Beauty team. They run into the men's side of the Beaver cabin without another hesitation.

Leshawna and Dawn are getting closer to their own cabins, now edging in on the Beavers.

"Alright Dawn, we just gotta find the key in Lindsay's bed and we're golden!" Leshawna says excitedly.

Dawn looks concerned. "Question. Do you think the clue could possibly be referring to Topher rather than Lindsay?"

Leshawna looks puzzled at this. "What do you mean?"

Dawn shrugs and holds out the paper with the last clue on it. "Well, the limerick says the key is in the bed of 'the person first taken'. What if they meant the person on our team first taken out of the game, rather than the challenge?"

"Hm, you got a point girl." Leshawna admits. "Should we go check his bed first?"

Dawn ponders this option for a moment. She then says, "I think we need to take a risk and spilt up. I check Topher's old bed and you check Lindsay's."

Leshawna has a weary look on her face. "One of us will probably get taken from the challenge then."

By this time the two women have reached their cabin. Dawn then replies "Yes, but it will also increase our chances of being right. At least one of us will be in the right cabin."

Leshawna nods in agreement. "Okay girl, let's do this. Whoever finds the key goes immediately to the other side."

Dawn smiles at her companion. "Deal."

As the Butterfly women go inside, Cameron is just coming into view of the cabins.

 ***Confessional- Cameron ***  
"Of all the challenges I had to finish myself, why does it have to be the one where we run around everywhere?! Just cut me a break!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Sky and Jasmine have destroyed the boys' side of the cabin at this point. DJ's pillow, blankets, bedsheets, even the mattress itself have been pulled from the bed frame.

"Ugh, I can't find it anywhere! You think it's like, _in_ the mattress?" Sky asks.

Jasmine thinks about this for a second. "Hmm, maybe. Let me see the clue again, I don't want to demolish his bed unless we have to."

Sky nods and hands Jasmine the clue. She goes over to DJ's dresser and says "I'm still gonna look for some scissors."

Jasmine squints down at the paper, noticing a detail she hadn't seen before. "Why is 'mind' underlined?"

"Huh?" Sky asks absentmindedly as she moves to the bottom drawer of DJ's dresser.

Jasmine holds out the limerick to her shorter teammate. "The word 'mind' is underlined in this clue... did... did we look in the pillowcase?"

Sky's eyes go wide in realization. Instead of giving a verbal reply, she rushes over to the pile of DJ's bedsheets. She pulls the pillow out of the mess and tears the pillowcase off the pillow. Sure enough, the key and final clue falls out.

"Eeeeee!" The two women jump and squeal together.

Sky grabs the key and reads the final clue aloud.  
 _"You found all three keys, hooray!_  
 _But to be the hero of the day,_  
 _Go to the campground we used,_  
 _In challenge number two,_  
 _To find those lost along the way."_

"Ugh, not that place again." Jasmine huffs.

Sky giggles and gently grabs her by the wrist. "Come on! We have a challenge to win!"

As the two women rush, Cameron is running inside the Brainy Beetle's cabin. Out of breath, he shakily goes over to the girls' side, makes his way to Courtney's bed, and grabs the key and clue from her pillow. He leaves immediately after, heading to the old campsite.

 ***Confessional- Cameron***  
"I thought the clue made it obvious it would be in Courtney's pillow. Why, was it not?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Leshawna had a similar experience to Jasmine and Sky with finding the key. Lindsay's pillow was one of the last places she looked. Finally, she grabbed the key and rushed to the boys' side.

"Dawn! I found the key! You there?"

She got her answer when she peaked into the cabin and saw that Dawn was nowhere in sight. The scene before her was even more eerie considering the fact that the Beauty men's cabin hasn't been touched in awhile.

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"Well, I guess it's up to me now. I really hope I remember where that campsite is."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Sky and Jasmine are sprinting through the woods, with Sky leading the way to their destination.

"Are you sure this is the right way?" Jasmine asks.

Sky nods. "Definitely, I remember this route from the challenge. Brick and I had that map the entire time."

A few yards later, and Jasmine and Sky make their way to a familiar clearing. When they enter the campsite, they see the missing campers. Each team is standing in oversized bamboo cages, with three locks keeping it shut.

Chef and Chris are standing next to the cages.

"Use the three keys you found to unlock your teammates from their cage!" Chef shouts to the two Brawn women.

"Sky, Jasmine, over here!" DJ shouts right after.

Sky and Jasmine follow DJ's voice to the correct cage and quickly undo the locks. Eva, Lightning, and DJ come barreling out immediately.

Chris speaks into his walkie talkie so he can be heard over camp. "And the winner of tonight's challenge is the Brawny Beavers! Congrats Beavers, no Campfire Ceremony today!"

The Brawny Beavers immediately jump around and holler in happiness. DJ pulls Sky and Jasmine into a tight bear hug.

"You guys did great!" DJ tells time pair.

Jasmine smiles. "Thanks! It was mostly Sky though, she remembered how to get to this campsite."

Sky beams a little more after that comment.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"Looks like focusing on the game is really paying off!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Just then, another rustle comes from the entrance to the campsite. The Beetles and Butterflies wait in anticipation to see who comes out first.

The Beautiful Butterflies holler when they see Leshawna come into view.

"Go Leshawna!" Lindsay screams. "Over here!"

Cameron enters the campsite shortly after, prompting cheering of another sort from the Brainy Beetles .

"Pick up the pace, Cameron!" Courtney shouts.

"Cameron, I swear to god hurry up!" Scarlett adds in.

Cameron does as he's told, but it proves to be fruitless. By the time he reaches the cage, the Beautiful Butterflies are already out.

"Second Place goes to the Beautiful Butterflies!" Chris yells, prompting cheering from said team.

He turns to the losing team and continues with, "Brainy Beetles, you're the losing team today. You have all day today to figure out who's getting the Slingshot of Defeat. I'll see you tonight at the Campfire Ceremony."

The Beetles nod and walk with the rest of the campers back to their cabins. DJ and Lindsay comfort Courtney on their way back. Leshawna is about to join them until Dawn asks to talk privately.

"I'm sorry, Leshawna," Dawn said quietly.

"For what?" Leshawna inquired.

"For overthinking everything. I wouldn't have been taken out of the challenge if we just went to the girls' side of the cabin together."

Leshawna places a hand on the shorter girl's shoulder. "Hey, it's okay girl. We were just covering all our bases. We still came in second!"

Dawn smiles at her teammates' words. "Okay, thank you."

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"I really hope the Beautiful Butterflies can continue to avoid the Campfire Ceremony. At this point, I'm not sure I would be able to decide which side to take. But I have a feeling that I will have to make that choice sooner than I would like."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The rest of the day is calming for the Brawny Beavers and Beautiful Butterflies, as they know there will not be any challenges today. By noontime, both teams are relaxing about. Eva left for a run, and DJ and Jasmine are lounging outside their cabins. The Beautiful Butterflies are all getting ready to head to the showers. Sky, still exhausted from the challenge, is laying down in her bunk when she hears a knock at the door.

"Door's open, come in." She says sleepily. Her eyes grow wide when she sees Lightning walk in.

"Hey Sky." He says wearily.

"Hey Lightning, what's up?"

"Um, Lightning wanted to say you did great in the challenge today, like really great. And uh, I wanted to give you this." He says as he extends his arm out towards her. He's holding a giant clear bag, filled about 3/4 of the way with candy.

Sky's eyes widen more, and she didn't even think that was possible. "That's Jasmine's candy. How did you get it?"

"Uh, from the bet... ya know, getting Jo and Brick together? Technically we won, so Jasmine gave it to me. So I'm giving it to you." He rambles out as he places the prized bag next to Sky's bed.

When she says nothing, Lightning continues, "Um, that's all I had to say. I'll go now so you can sleep."

He turns to walk out the door, and only stops when Sky shouts "Wait!"

He immediately turns to face her again. "Yeah?"

Sky looks down at the bag and says, "It's just... this is a lot of candy. We should split it, especially since you're the reason we won."

Lightning relaxes a little at this and replies, "Oh no, you have it. Lightning doesn't really like candy. Those granola bars are about as sweet as I can take."

Sky just looks more confused now. "Wait, so why would you bet them for something you don't even like."

Lightning starts to blush a little. He puts his hand behind his head and nervously explains, "Because you wanted it."

Now it's Sky's turn to blush. "Oh..."

Lightning nods. "Sha-yeah. But um, Lightning's gonna go so you can sleep again. Enjoy the candy, I'll see you soon."

He turns for the final time and walks out the cabin, leaving Sky to return to her nap. She looks stunned for a few moments before she tucks herself back into her bunk.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"Wow, just... wow."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Unlike the other two teams, the Brainy Beetles are busier than ever.

"I say we take out sir Cameron tonight! He's the only remaining winner in the game- a threat if there ever was one." Leonard announces to Scarlett and Courtney.

"Agreed Leonard, what an excellent idea." Scarlett confirms. "We vote Cameron tonight. Does that work, Courtney?"

Courtney nods quickly with an unsettling smile on her face. "Of course. I'm fine with either one of them going."

Scarlett returns an unsettling smile of her own. "True. While I think B will need to be taken out soon, he will remain useful for now. Plus, I have reason to believe that he will vote our way tonight."

Courtney smiles again in an attempt to hide her frustration. "Perfect, then it's a done deal."

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"If B votes Cameron, then no amount of effort I put into getting Scarlett out will be of any use. I may have another way around it, but it's a little complicated..."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Courtney and Cameron meet up afterward to continue their discussion from last night.

"Are you still voting Scarlett tonight?" She asks the shorter male.

Cameron shakes his head yes. "That's the plan. I don't really have any other options. Have you considered my offer?"

Courtney nods. "Yes, and I have my answer. Cameron, I need you to listen carefully to this, because I'm going to tell you possibly the only game plan that would work. But you're not going to like it."

Cameron nods slowly. Cautiously, he mutters out, "Go on..."

* * *

 _*Campfire Ceremony*_  
Chris is standing at his usual podium looking out at the losing team. Their expressions, however, are anything but usual for an elimination. Everyone looks rather relaxed. Courtney has a look of determination on her face, and Cameron seems to be a mixture of sad but calm.

"Brainy Beetles, welcome to your _third_ Campfire Ceremony!" The host announces to the team. "And yes, I did say third. You guys lose an awful lot. Maybe you should change something about that?"

"Just get on with it, Chris." Courtney says curtly.

"Watch it." Chris says back, unamused. "Anyway, you know the drill. If you're safe, you get a marshmallow. Not safe, you get thrown across the lake. And the first person safe is... Leonard."

Leonard tries to catch his marshmallow, but misses.

Chris chuckles and continues with, "Courtney."

Courtney catches her marshmallow with ease.

"And B."

B has a similar success to Courtney.

The camera now pans to Scarlett and Cameron, the bottom two.

Chris takes a deep breath before speaking again. "Scarlett and Cameron, one of you will be going home. Scarlett, you've gotten votes at every elimination you've been to. Cameron, everyone thinks you're a threat because you've won before. Both of you have good reasons to be sent home. But the one that's _actually_ going home is..."

We see a shot of Cameron and Scarlett, then of B, then Leonard, then Courtney, and back to the bottom two. They all have the same resigned facial expression.

Finally Chris says the name.

"Cameron."

Cameron nods and stands up from his place. "Yeah, I figured."

Chris nods back. "Alright dude, say your goodbyes."

Cameron goes over to B and the two do an awkward fist pump. He gives Leonard a quick side hug, and doesn't even attempt to be friendly to Scarlett. He goes over to Courtney, who pulls him into a stronger hug.

"I promise I'll finish what you started." Courtney whispers to him.

Cameron smiles at this. He then pulls away and goes over to Chris, ready to be taken from the game.

The scene turns to the Slingshot of Defeat, where Cameron is ready to be sent off.

"Any last words to your team, Cameron?" Chris asks.

Cameron says, "Yes. Everyone, play the game for you, _not_ for anyone else."

Chef releases the Slingshot after this, and Cameron goes off.

The camera finally pans to Chris to make his final announcement. "And our final winner in this game bites the dust. Will Courtney keep her promise? Will Brawn still choose strategy over emotions? And will Beauty continue to avoid elimination? We'll have all that and more next time on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"

 **•End of Episode** **Seven** **•**

* * *

 **Finally, another completed chapter! This one pretty much was all challenge, and less socialization. These are more difficult for me to write, as I'm all about the social interactions. However, I'm happy with the end product here.**

 **Here is the breakdown of the votes:**  
 **B- Cameron**  
 **Cameron- Scarlett**  
 **Courtney- Cameron**  
 **Leonard- Cameron**  
 **Scarlett- Cameron**

* * *

 **Poor Cameron, he never really stood a chance once Scarlett decided to go after the winners. Cameron is entertaining, but he's already had so much time to shine in canon. His purpose here was to help other characters' stories go further, and he accomplished that.**

 **The Brainy Beetles are getting down to the wire with their members. In case it wasn't made clear in the chapter, Cameron knew that he was going home that night, and he knows that it was part of Courtney's plan. More on this 'plan' will be revealed next chapter. B is also in a tight spot. I hope readers can understand why he voted off Cameron to save himself. I'm making characters like B more game-oriented this time around. He's not a bad guy, he's just doing what he needed to do.**

 **The Scarlett-Leonard-Courtney alliance is a complicated one to write. The power dynamic appears to shift a lot, but here is how I see it as I'm writing- Scarlett's the one in charge, with Courtney as her right-hand man. Leonard thinks he's in charge, but everyone else sees him as the right-hand man. In reality, Scarlett would listen to Courtney over Leonard for several reasons. Think of it as a "better the devil you know than the one you don't" type of thing.**

 **The other teams are in better situations, but not by much. As for the Beautiful Butterflies, the fact remains that Leshawna and Lindsay are a duo that aren't going to vote each other out. Great for them, but horrible for Sugar and Dawn. Like B, Dawn is becoming more game-oriented and thinking about what will get her further. Unfortunately for her, she's stuck between risking her game for a more likable pair or subjecting herself to aligning with Sugar.**

 **Finally, the Brawny Beavers are still recuperating from their double elimination. One thing I really liked about this chapter is that it gave some time to characters that haven't had a huge focus yet. Specifically for the Beavers, Jasmine and Sky. While the Brawny Beavers have had a lot of focus, Jasmine has been more of a humorous side character and Sky's main story arc is with Lightning. By having a challenge where Sky's romantic interest and Jasmine's partner-in-crime (DJ), were the first two taken out, they have a chance to shine on their own.**

 **Please continue to favorite, follow, and review this story, I love all the support dearly. I also reply to all my reviews except for the guest ones (only because I can't reply to them).**

 **Until next time,**  
 **~Vintage Madame**

* * *

 **Eliminated: Harold, Topher, Anne Maria, Justin, Shawn, Brick, Jo, Cameron**


	9. The Devil You Sew

**Hey everyone, VintageMadame again! So glad to see all the wonderful comments on the story, you're all amazing! Going to be honest with you, this chapter is more a filler chapter. This is only because it ties up loose ends for the last chapter and begins the build up for the next two. I still like the challenge and banter here though, and I hope you all enjoy it too!**

 ***Quick Author's Note: "Sew" in this chapter title is pronounced like "Sow". It's a play on the phrase "the devil you know". The reason it's spelled out that way is so it fits better with the challenge. You'll see!**

* * *

 **Brainy Beetles: B, Courtney, Leonard, Scarlett**

 **Brawny Beavers: DJ, Eva, Jasmine, Lightning, Sky**

 **Beautiful Butterflies: Dawn, Leshawna, Lindsay, Sugar**

* * *

 ***Last Episode Recap***  
"Last time, on Total Drama... the teams were surprised with a nighttime challenge that tested their abilities to stick together. Needless to say, they sucked at it. Sky and Lightning tried to focus less on each other and more on the game, with varying degrees of success. Speaking of duos, Jasmine and Sky won the challenge for the Brawny Beavers. Dawn worried that Leshawna and Lindsay's friendship will damage her own game, and Sugar continued to create animosity between her and her team. Cameron was the latest person to attempt to knock Scarlett off her pedestal. He was rewarded with his own elimination and a promise from Courtney to make things right. Who will learn from their mistakes? Who will fail miserably? And who will be the Slingshot of Defeat's next victim? Guess we'll find out now, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!  
 ***End Recap***

* * *

The Beavers and Butterflies are waiting outside to see the results of the Campfire Ceremony. Leshawna, DJ, and Jasmine are laying down by the Brawn cabin. Lightning and Eva are shooting hoops nearby, and Lindsay, Sugar, and Dawn are wandering around the beach.

"Gee Lindsay, I'm sure surprised you're with us alone." Sugar says suggestively.

Lindsay looks confused. "What do you mean?"

"Aren't you and Leshawna like, joined at the hip or something?"

Now Lindsay looks even more puzzled. "What? Leshawna and I are just friends. We've known each other for like, years."

Dawn speaks before Sugar can. "We know Lindsay. Sugar was just teasing, right?"

Sugar gives off a cheap pageant smile before replying "Yep!"

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"Sugar needs to stop trying to create all this tension on the team. It's just not necessary."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Creating tension is absolutely necessary! Dawn needs ta' see that she's not going to get far with them! That's my only chance of surviving elimination if it comes down to it."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Lightning and Eva are playing Horse at the basketball court. It's going rather smoothly, especially given the two people playing.

"Sha-bam, another shot for The Lightning!" The jock rejoices.

Eva playfully rolls her eyes. "Nice job dude."

Lightning shrugs. "Same to you, you know your hoops."

Eva nods. "Ya know, we're clearly two of the physically strongest people on the island."

"Duh."

"We would do well if we worked together."

"Huh... yeah, we would, I guess."

Eva goes in for the kill. "So... maybe we should. Especially if we lose another challenge before the merge."

Lightning awkwardly chuckles at this before saying. "I mean yeah, that makes sense. I guess we should."

Eva nods before making another perfect shot. "Sweet. We'll figure more out later."

 ***Confessional- Eva***  
"So, it's pretty clear that if we lose another challenge, I'm a likely candidate to get eliminated. DJ and Jasmine probably won't vote for each other, and Lightning's close to them too. Now that Lightning and Sky are barely speaking, they may be my only chance at safety."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Lightning's not sure if working with Eva is a good idea. If I'm in an alliance with her, then who else will I vote for?!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Leshawna, Jasmine, and DJ are all laying down by the Brawn cabin. DJ's laying on his stomach, Leshawna's leaning on the cabin's exterior for support, and Jasmine's sitting cross-legged.

"I don't think I've ever seen Lightning and Eva be civil during a sport." Leshawna comments, pointing to the two at the court.

DJ shrugs. "Eh, they're not too hyper after you've known them for awhile. I'm still surprised at how chill a roommate Lightning's been."

Leshawna looks back to their cabin. "Speaking of Lightning, where's Sky?"

Jasmine giggles at this. "Oh my god, thank goodness it's not just obvious to our team."

Leshawna scoffs in faux offense. "Yeah, that one's pretty obvious to everyone. Even Sugar knows about it. But seriously, she go missing or something?"

DJ points back to the Beaver girls' cabin door. "Nah, she's sleeping. We're under strict instructions to wake her up when the Beetles come back. She said that last challenge messed with her sleep schedule."

Jasmine slyly adds in, "Yeah, plus she might be coming down from a sugar-high after eating all those sweets."

DJ raises an eyebrow at her. "You gave your candy to her?"

Jasmine smirks. "Nope. Lightning did."

All three laugh at this, confusing the other campers around them.

"Ooo, I see them! They're coming!" Lindsay shouts from the beach.

Everyone gathers around closer to their cabins. DJ goes in to wake up Sky. When she emerges, she has serious bedhead, prompting some giggles from other campers.

When the Beetles comes into view, no one is shocked to see that Cameron isn't there.

"Knew it." Eva states firmly.

Leonard nods enthusiastically at the two teams before him. "Yes! This was a fairly simple vote, probably the easiest thus far!"

Scarlett gives Leonard a glare at this remark. No one else really says anything. Jasmine looks puzzled at the team before her. DJ is squinting at Courtney, trying to decipher her expression.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Obviously I'm biased against the Brainy Beetles for voting off Shawn, but this vote doesn't make sense. Cameron at least contributed to his team when he could, and he seemed friendly with Courtney and B. Something isn't adding up."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"I know Scarlett and Courtney have been allies, so neither of them would vote for each other. But I think there's more to the story than that. Courtney doesn't look happy or sad about Cameron's elimination, just... determined."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Courtney is the first to speak up to break the silence. "So I know we usually just head to our cabins after eliminations, but I'm not really that tired yet."

DJ nods in agreement. "Yeah, it's still kinda early. I'm down to stay up."

The rest of the campers agree and resume their activities with the Brain team. Sky decides to join them instead of going back to bed. She joins Lindsay, Dawn, and Sugar back at the beach.

"Star, you did such a good job at the challenge yesterday!" Lindsay says excitedly.

Sky smiles at this, not even bothering to correct her. "Thanks Lindsay, it's a great feeling to be competing again."

Lindsay lets a little squeal out. "I know right? It's been so much fun here! I just wish Tyler was here to enjoy it with me!"

Dawn says, "Oh yes! That's your boyfriend, right?"

Lindsay shakes her head enthusiastically. "Yup! I miss him, but it's great to do this for myself too. Star, you're sooo lucky that you get to play with your boyfriend."

Sky's whole face turns red at this. "I don't have a boyfriend."

Lindsay cocks her head to the side. "But you and Thunder..."

Sky stops her before she can say anymore. "Lightning and I are just teammates, that's it."

Lindsay looks down to the sand and lets out a quiet "Ohhh."

Sugar and Dawn both don't know what to say to that. Sky smiles at the Beauty trio to let them know there's no ill will between them. Lighter conversation resumes between the four after that.

B has joined Lightning and Eva to referee at the basketball court. Their game of Horse has turned into a 1-on-1 game.

While everyone else is conversing and watching the game, Scarlett pulls Leonard to the side to talk.

She starts with "Leonard, you can't tell the other teams our thought processes for everything. That'll give away our strategy."

Leonard smiles back and says, "Fear not! After this last vote, I'm confident our team will be invincible!"

Scarlett scowls. "That doesn't answer my concern, but okay."

Leonard's smile gets even bigger. "Excellent! Now, let us return to the other campers!"

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Leonard's an idiot. Granted, he's an idiot that'll vote how I want him too, but he needs to watch himself."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Courtney has joined Leshawna, DJ, and Jasmine by the Brawn cabin. Courtney's stoic expression hasn't changed since they got back.

Leshawna is the first to bring it up. "So girl, wanna tell us about what happened?"

Courtney's hesitation becomes uncomfortable to Jasmine, who knows she isn't as close to the Beetle as Leshawna and DJ.

"Um... I can leave if you want me too." The Australian stammers.

Courtney waves nonchalantly at her. "No, please stay. Actually, you might find some of this information useful."

Jasmine smiles and remains firmly in place.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"DJ's gotten close to Leshawna and Courtney this season, but we're also good friends. If I can get into their inner circle, the merge will be much easier for me."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"So, what was the vote?" DJ asks.

Courtney replies, "4-1 vote to send Cameron home. He voted for Scarlett, but he knew ahead of time that he would be eliminated."

"Hm," Jasmine ponders. "Scarlett is usually more stealthy than that."

Courtney nods at that. "She was. I told him."

Leshawna interrupts. "Any particular reason for that? I mean if he was going home already there's no need tell him anything."

Courtney paused for a moment before continuing. "Scarlett's running the show at the Brainy Beetles. Cameron was her only opposition, but we didn't have the votes to make anything happen."

" _We?_ " DJ asks.

Courtney grins slightly. "Yeah, we. Scarlett can't be taken down with one blow. We have to weaken her before before taking her out."

Jasmine raises an eyebrow at her. "And how do we do that?"

Courtney's grin grows wider. "Leave the first part to me."

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Of course I wanted to keep Cameron, but there was no way I could have saved him. Now I'm in a good position to work towards getting Scarlett out. Just like I said I would."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

About an hour or so later the campers are all asleep in their bunks. When morning comes, they're happy to awaken by themselves and not to the usual dreadful alarm.

Seating in the mess hall for breakfast is a lot more lenient than it has been recently. People are sitting randomly, instead of with their teams. Sky, Jasmine, Dawn, and Eva are sitting in the corner furthest from where they get their food. Across from them is Courtney, Leshawna, Lindsay, DJ, and Lightning. Finally, closest to the food is Scarlett, Leonard, Sugar, and B.

"Ya'll did a great job with getting' that short stack outta the game!" Sugar exclaims.

Scarlett nods in an attempt to be polite. "Yes, it was fairly easy."

Sugar continues on, ignoring Scarlett's subtle hint to stop talking. "Gee-whiz, these votes have been going pretty good for us! What's next, boss?"

Scarlett replies in an annoyed tone. "Well, I'm hope the Brawny Beavers will-"

"Oh no, not you lady, I was talkin' to the wizard." Sugar interjects.

Leonard instantly lights up. "Oh, yes, faithful servants, gather round! I have the most magical plan..."

Scarlett growls under her breath as Leonard rambles on.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"The intelligent life in this alliance is very, _very_ , minuscule. To whatever deity that may exist, please grant me strength to continue with them."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The group of DJ, Lightning, Lindsay, Leshawna, and Courtney are having a much more pleasant time at their table. Conversation has been light and relatively non-game related. The first mention of the other campers comes when Leshawna notices Courtney glancing over to Scarlett and her breakfast companions.

"Courtney, are you sure you shouldn't be sitting with Scarlett? I don't want you to be out of the loop, especially if your team loses again." The Beautiful Butterfly asks.

Courtney looks over to where her Brain ally is sitting, looking visibly irritated by Sugar and Leonard.

She replies, "I'm not worried. I don't think I'm missing anything important."

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Scarlett doesn't seem to have any visible weaknesses right now. But if I know anything, it's that a psychological break can ruin your whole game. Scarlett's already had one before, so I don't think she's looking to have another."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Lindsay eats about half her breakfast before groaning out "Ugh, I'm so full. Anyone else want-?"

She doesn't even have to finish her question before her plate is snatched by Lightning, who just finished his serving.

"Thanks, blonde girl, I'm starving! Anytime you got leftovers, just give them to _The Lightning_!"

Lindsay looks relieved at this. "Thanks! Oooo, Leshawna! Thunder has a catchphrase, we should get catchphrases too!"

Leshawna pats her friend on the back. "Okay, Lindsay. We'll figure some out after the challenge."

Over at the furthest end is Jasmine, Eva, Dawn, and Sky. Sky and Eva are eating their breakfast at an alarmingly fast pace. Dawn and Jasmine are pretty much the opposite, and are taking their time.

"Woah, slow down mates! There's no need to rush right now." Jasmine says.

Sky shrugs. "I don't know, I'm just really hungry. I didn't eat that much yesterday cause I was so tired."

Eva chimes in with, "Yeah, and I wanna get a quick workout in before the next challenge.i need to be ready for whatever Chris _literally_ and _figuratively_ throws at us."

Sky looks to Eva and says "That's sounds like a good idea. We haven't had any obstacle courses yet, I'm thinking it's going to be something like that."

Dawn shakes her head in disagreement. "I'm not too sure about that, we've had a lot of physical challenges lately."

Jasmine nods at Dawn. "I agree, I'm thinking this one is going to be different."

Eva looks at Jasmine questionably. "So what do you think it the challenge will be?"

Jasmine places her hand on her chin as she thinks about the best way to word her answer. "I don't know, I guess something... slower?"

Eva looks annoyed at this. "God I hope not."

 ***Confessional- Eva***  
"The Beavers have only been to one Campfire Ceremony so far. We still have a small numbers advantage over the other teams that I'd like to keep. So if it's a physical challenge today, we have a leg up on everyone else."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Suddenly Chef comes bursting through the kitchen door. Instead of his usual clothes, he's wearing a sparkly dress, similar to the one he wore in Action's elimination ceremonies.

Lightning's about to laugh before DJ nudges him, signaling him to keep his mouth shut.

"Attention campers!" Chef yells to the room. "It's time for your next challenge! Make your way outside to learn more."

"I don't think it's gonna be a physical challenge." Sky whispers to her table.

"No shit, Sherlock." Eva grumbles.

Jasmine adds in, "Well, I guess we'll find out now."

Everyone walks outside the dining hall to see a runway set up right in front of them. Fabric is everywhere, as are sewing machines, mannequins, and thread. At the end of the runway is a judges' table, which is where Chris is sitting.

"Good afternoon fashionistas!" The host yells to the group. "Welcome to your next challenge! We've been informed by our lawyers that your last few challenges could be considered "cruel" when done one right after the other. So now we're going to do something _fun_ and _relaxing_. Sound good?"

"This doesn't look fun or relaxing to me." Eva tells him.

Lightning shakes his head. "Yeah, Lightning doesn't know what half this stuff even is."

Chris looks unamused. "Well, get used to it jock-head, cause this is how today's going to go. Trust me, I'd much rather see you all running around in fear of your lives. This is more Chef's thing."

"Damn right it is." Chef says proudly.

"Aw, come on you guys, this does look like a lot of fun!" Lindsay squeals.

"I'd wait until we hear the challenge first." Leshawna reminds her.

"Ah yes, the challenge. Chef?" Chris motions over to the taller man.

Chef turns to face the campers and begins to explain. "Today's challenge is simple. Each team will create a fabulous look that is inspired by your team's archetype. You will have one of your teammates be the model. Then we will have a runway show where Chris and I will judge. First and second place will be safe from the vote, last place goes to the Campfire Ceremony. Questions? No? Good."

"Literally none of this sounds anymore fun than our usual challenges! How are we supposed to make an outfit based on being smart?" Courtney tells him.

"Yeah, can we at least have a reward or something with it? We haven't had a reward since the first challenge!" Leshawna adds.

Chris rolls his eyes. "Ugh, fine. First place gets... an extra serving at breakfast. Happy?"

Lightning shouts over everyone "Sha-bam! Guys, we have to win now!"

Jasmine pats him on the back. "Sure Lightning, sure."

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"So, what are the chances that one of the Brawny Beavers knows how to sew?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Going by Lightning's reaction, I'll take that as a 'yes'." Chris says.

Chef now speaks up. "Alright Campers, you have two hours to make the best outfit you can. On your mark, get set... SEW!"

The teams all form huddles to discuss their plans. The Beautiful Butterflies seem the most relaxed about the challenge.

"Okay, so basically we have to make an outfit that's pretty. Lindsay, you can sew, right?" Leshawna asks.

Lindsay smiles brightly. "Yep! I haven't made a full outfit yet, but I bet I could make something!"

Leshawna nods. "Okay, so Lindsay will take charge of this challenge. Now all we need is a model."

Sugar steps forward and strikes a pose. "Well, I thought you'd never-"

Lindsay interrupts her. "Oooo, Dawn should be the model!"

"Huh?" Sugar and Dawn say at the same time.

Dawn stammers out, "Oh no Lindsay. I've never been a model before-"

Lindsay grabs her hand enthusiastically. "No, really! I have a plan in my head, and you'd look soooo pretty in it!"

Lindsay runs over to the rolls of fabric and pulls out a purple one that she was eyeing. "This fabric will work! And it's such a good color on you!"

Leshawna shakes her head in agreement. "Gotta say Dawn, the girl's got taste. I think you'll make a great model."

Dawn replies nervously, "Okay, if you say so."

Lindsay's smile grows even bigger. "Great! Leshawna, can you help me get Dawn's measurements down? And Sugar, we're gonna need flowers- lots of them!"

Sugar rolls her eyes. "Yeah sure, your majesty."

Sugar walks off to go find some flowers when she sees that the Brainy Beetles appear to be bickering.

"So you're saying that neither of you ladies know how to sew?" Leonard asks.

"Why the hell would I know how to make clothes Leonard?" Courtney throws back.

"Neither Courtney and I have ever been in a position where it was required of us. And our interests don't align with knowing how to make clothing." Scarlett adds.

Courtney turns her attention back to Leonard. "Don't you cosplay or something? You should know how to make clothes."

"Alas, I can only fashion a wizard's robe! That's the only outfit I've really needed to make on my own!" Leonard replies.

Scarlett turns to B. "I assume you also have no experience in this field?"

B shakes his head no.

Scarlett growls slightly. "Fine. Leonard, you will make the outfit. Please, _try_ to make it look somewhat related to intelligence. _No_ wizard's robe."

Leonard retorts, "But-".

Scarlett raises her hand to silence him. "No buts. You're not making Courtney a wizard."

Now it's Courtney's turn to interrupt. "What? Who said I was going to model?"

"I did." Scarlett said bluntly. "I'm not in the mood to argue. Leonard, go find fabric. B, monitor Leonard's choice of fabric. Courtney, I'll take your measurements."

Courtney looks like she's about to argue. Instead she opts to just take a deep breath and say "Fine."

The Brawny Beavers seem to be the most confused by the challenge, and with good reason.

"So, anyone know how to, uh- make clothes?" DJ asks his team. None of his teammates say anything.

DJ takes a deep breath before continuing. "Right, um... should we pick a model and just go from there?"

Eva speaks up. "Well, Jasmine's tall like a model."

Jasmine shakes her head no. "No way. We need to pick someone they wouldn't expect. The only way we can beat the other teams is if we surprise them."

"How do we do that?" Lightning asks.

Sky points to Lightning and DJ. "We should have a male model. So one of you two."

Jasmine nods. "I agree. I think it should be DJ."

Lightning looks slightly offended. "Sha-what?! Lightning would make a great model!"

Jasmine looks at him questionably. "Really? Do you think you can actually stay still for the next two hours of measurements and fittings?"

Lightning thinks about this for a second before saying, "Uh, DJ can model."

Everyone nods in agreement. Sky turns to DJ and asks "You good with that DJ?"

DJ gives a thumbs up and a smile as his reply.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"So, the Brawny Beavers have a model... and that's about it right now. And none of us know how to sew. We're kind of screwed."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Sugar is returning to the Beautiful Butterflies with a bundle of flowers when she sees Leonard and angling through fabric choices. Leonard is holding out a roll of blue fabric with green stars to his teammate. B shakes his head no and offers him a more sensible yellow velvet in return.

"Hey Mr. Wizard!" The pageant queen yells as she approaches them. "Whatcha got over there?"

Leonard smiles and holds out the velvet that B just placed in his hands. "Behold, the key to our success! I just have to find a way to make a dress that's not a wizard's robe."

Sugar gasps. "Not a wizard's robe, why?! Wizard's are the smartest people in the world!"

Leonard nods enthusiastically. "I know, right?! I think if I just-." B places a hand on Leonard's shoulder and points back to Courtney and Scarlett.

Leonard turns back to Sugar and then says, "Sorry, Sugar I must make haste back to our team! I shall see you soon!"

As the two head back, Sugar waves and shouts "Bye, Mr. Wizard!" She then walks back over to the Beautiful Butterflies' area. Lindsay is making some altercations to the top of Dawn's dress, while Leshawna is cutting out the patterns that Lindsay gave her.

"Sugar! How did the flower picking go?" Dawn asks.

"Stay still, Dawn!" Lindsay reminds her model.

"It went just dandy. I found some dandelions close by!" Sugar answers.

Leshawna looks unamused. "Dandelions are weeds, Sugar."

Lindsay looks at the bouquet and smiles. "These will go great with the dress! Thank you, Sugar!"

Sugar grins back in a menacing manner. "You're welcome, Lindsay! See Leshawna? Looks like these here weeds are perfect for our look."

Leshawna rolls her eyes and decides to say nothing.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Hm, Leshawna's getting awfully testy at me. She better watch herself for her and Lindsay's sake."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"White girl's crazy if she doesn't think she's in trouble. The moment we lose, Sugar's out. Period, end of story."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Leonard is beginning to sew the fabric B picked out together. Scarlett and Courtney are a fair distance away. Scarlett is bending some wire together while Courtney watches her.

"What are you doing with that?" Courtney asks Scarlett.

Scarlett looks up at her and replies. "I'm attempting to fashion some makeshift glasses for you to wear. If we're going to at least come in second, we'll probably have to stick to the stereotype of what a 'Brain' would be."

"Are you ladies hard at work over there?" Leonard shouts to his teammates.

"Yes, _Leonard._ " Scarlett yells back, her voice full of venom.

Courtney looks directly to the camera with a knowing smirk on her face.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"I'm hoping to convince Scarlett to cut her little pet Leonard loose. If he's annoying her as much as I think he is, this may be easier than I anticipated."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Courtney turns from the camera to face her ally. "Scarlett, can I ask you something?"

Scarlett shakes her head. "Sure. What is it?"

"I know I should be the last person to talk about past seasons, but... isn't this alliance with Leonard a little repetitive of your last time playing?" Courtney timidly asks Scarlett.

Scarlett looks to the brunette wearily. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you kind of did the same thing last season right? You take on a total idiot, let them believe they're making all the decisions, and what? Wait until they've annoyed you enough for you to snap?"

The anger that had originally left Scarlett's face now returned full force. "Listen Courtney-"

Courtney gently grabs her hand to silence her. "Scarlett please, I'm saying this because I know more than anyone what it means to snap. We _have_ to make it to the finale. I really think we need to consider getting rid of Leonard. We don't have to do it now, but we should do it before he gets too confident."

Scarlett thinks for a moment before asking, "What about B?"

"B will be useful in challenges until the merge hits. But if he has to go first I can't say I'd be heartbroken."

Scarlett nods her head as she begins to silently process this information. After a few moments she speaks again. "Another question: Why do you care about my mental stability so much?"

Courtney raises an eyebrow in confusion. When Scarlett's expression doesn't waver, Courtney explains herself instead.

"Seriously? Scarlett, we're both villains on this show. I'd rather be working with a villain than a hero that everyone's going to choose to help over me in the finale."

"So basically, better the devil you know than the one you don't?"

"Exactly."

Scarlett smiles slightly at Courtney's conviction. "I can't say I disagree with your observations. Should we lose today, we'll need to discuss this further."

"Sounds good to me."

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Courtney makes some adequate observations about the benefits of keeping B over Leonard. It's definitely a matter that will need to be analyzed some more. Nonetheless, by the look of the Brawny Beaver's state, I don't think we'll be losing today."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The shot now pans to the Brawny Beavers, who still look as clueless as they did when they began. They're all surrounded by samples of mismatched fabric. DJ's picking out samples that he likes. Jasmine and Lightning are holding out long pieces of fabric for Eva to cut, and Sky's struggling to thread a needle.

"So... pants are basically two big sleeves sewed together right? Shouldn't be too hard between the five of us." Sky says aloud.

Eva rolls her eyes. "Sure Sky. You know how make two big sleeves?"

"Damn it Eva."

 ***Confessional- Eva***  
"I'm starting to mentally prepare for the Campfire Ceremony."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

More than an hour has passed and the teams are more or less in the same mindsets as they have been. The Beautiful Butterflies are almost finished, the Brainy Beetles are struggling along, and the Brawny Beavers haven't made much progress from when they started.

Lindsay is putting the finishing touches on the dress she made. It's a long purple dress that compliments Dawn's shape perfectly. Leshawna and Sugar are arranging flowers in her hair.

"Andddd... done!" Lindsay squeals happily. Dawn does a small twirl in her new dress while her three teammates look on.

"Damn Dawn, you look fine as hell." Leshawna says.

"Gee-whiz! First place is as good as ours!" Sugar proclaims.

Dawn walks over to a full-length mirror to get a better look at her outfit. She turns back to her team and says quietly, "Thank you, Lindsay. The dress is quite beautiful."

Lindsay pulls her model into a hug. "Yey, I'm so glad you like it! I'd hug you tighter but I don't wanna ruin the dress!"

 ***Confessional- Lindsay***  
"So I hate to brag, but I'm so happy with the look I designed today. Looks like another win for the Beautiful Butterflies."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Attention, Campers!" Chef yells through the intercom. "This is your 20 minute warning! All looks need to be done in 20 minutes!"

"Crap!" Courtney shouts. "Leonard! Are you almost done with the outfit yet?"

Leonard holds up his pointer finger. "Just hold on... one more second, and... done! _Voila!_ "

He places down the needle and thread to unveil a yellow robe that's made in the same style as his. The only different is the color and the fact that it's sleeveless.

"Leonard! I said no wizard's robes!" Scarlett screamed angrily.

"It's not a wizard's robe! It's a _mage's_ robe, obviously!" Leonard explains, as if that makes the situation any better.

"Oh my god, kill me." Courtney says. "There is no way in hell that I'm wearing that."

Scarlett looks over to the Brawny Beavers, who are still hastily putting together what they can for poor DJ.

She turns back to Courtney and says, "Yes, you will wear this. Brawn looks like they're one stitch away from disaster. As long as we have _something_ to show for, we should be safe."

Courtney thinks about this for a second before angrily snatching the robe from Leonard's hands. " _Fine_. But Leonard, you're gonna pay."

Leonard takes a big gulp.

 ***Confessional- Leonard***  
"The rest of the team is unsure of my design, but I have no worries! After all, mages are quite renowned for their intelligence!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

On the Brawny Beaver's side, Eva holds up a pair of tiny pants, with one pant leg significantly longer than the other. "Um, I made pants... I think?"

"Wait, I thought I was making pants!" Sky says as she holds up her own creation. The waist is entirely too big and the legs are much too small. The stitches are barely keeping it all together.

DJ shakes his head in disbelief. "Um, I don't think either of those will fit me. Lightning, did you make a shirt at least?"

Lighting looks sheepish as he holds up shreds of red fabric. "Uh, Lightning was gonna make a poncho, cause he figured that would be easy, and... it was not easy."

DJ then turns to Jasmine for his last hope. "Jasmine, did you make anything?

Jasmine shrugs and holds out a red football helmet. "Well, sewing wasn't working out so I went to wander around instead. I found an old helmet near props."

DJ takes the helmet and places it on his head. It's about two sizes too big.

Eva shrugs. "Well, it's a start... but we need some kind of outfit for-"

Just then, Chef comes on the intercom again. "5 MINUTES CAMPERS. 5 MINUTES!"

"Shit. We need to think of something fast." Sky says.

"Yeah, like who to vote for tonight, because there is no way we can pull this off." Eva mutters.

Sky groans. "Come on Eva, we got to be better than that! Think more positively!"

Lightning looks like a lightbulb went off in his head. "Oh! Lightning's got an idea!"

"Well, what is it?" Jasmine asks insistently.

Instead of responding, Lightning grabs DJ and runs to the bathroom. He shouts "Be right back!" to his team as he drags a confused DJ with him.

Jasmine, Eva, and Sky now all look at each other in confusion.

"Uh, what just happened?" Jasmine asks her female teammates. Neither of them reply.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
" I think Lightning's plan is basically just him and DJ hiding in the bathroom until the challenge is over. I wish I thought of it first."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

After a few minutes have passed, Chef begins to shout into the microphone. "Models, please line up on the stage so we can begin the show!"

Lindsay assists Dawn with getting up on the stage by lifting the ends of her dress up for her. Leonard does the same for an irritated Courtney. She's adjusting the handmade glasses that Scarlett made for her.

When the third model is nowhere to be found, Chef hollers "Brawny Beavers! Where is your model?!"

The three women mutter out "Ummm...". Before any of them can come up with an excuse, they hear Lightning shouting in the background.

"Here! He's here! And might I say, he looks sha-fine!"

DJ and Lightning come running into view. It takes a minute for everyone to adjust to the sight.

"Lightning!" Eva shouts. " _Why_ did you two swap clothes?"

Sure enough, the two men are wearing each other's clothes. While the pants and shoes fit surprisingly well on each other, the shirts are a different story. Lightning's shirt is very snug on DJ, to the point where part of his stomach is showing. DJ's shirt is loosely hanging off Lightning.

"No time for questions, just give him the helmet!" Lightning urges to them. Jasmine hands off the helmet to DJ, who grabs it as he runs to the stage.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Okay, this isn't the worst idea we could've come up with. Still pretty bad, but not the worst."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Once DJ is on stage, Chef begins to speak again. "Alright, now time for the runway show! Models, you will show me your best strut, and don't hold back! First up, Beautiful Butterflies!"

One by one, the three models do their 'best' catwalk across the stage. Dawn basically walks like she normally does. Courtney tries to impersonate how a model would walk, but can't bring herself to wipe the sour look on her face. DJ practically stumbles down the runway. He keeps pulling down Lightning's shirt to cover his stomach, but it keeps riding up.

The Brawny Beavers all try to cover their faces from the cameras, as if that will make this challenge go away.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Okay, I try to be as optimistic as possible for the sake of the team, but... we lost. We lost hard."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chef and Chris talk briefly amongst themselves while the other teams wait to hear the results. Finally Chris speaks.

"Teams, you may join your models on the stage."

Once everyone is with their models, Chris begins his speech. "Well campers, this was certainly not as horrible as I originally hoped. Still pretty bad, but not horrible. Before we read the results, Chef will offer you all a brief critique. Chef?"

Chef looks down at his clipboard and clears his throat before beginning. "Beautiful Butterflies, your looks was certainly the prettiest out of the three, so good job."

Lindsay smiles at that, and Leshawna gives her a pat on the back.

Chef continues with, "Brainy Beetles, nothing about the outfit really fits your team except the use of your team color."

Leonard is about to refute this when Scarlett puts her hand over his mouth.

"Brawny Beavers, the use of Lightning's clothes, who was the "Brawn" part of our season four finale, was clever. However, we have a feeling it was a last minute decision."

Lightning nervously says, "Uh... no it wasn't?"

Chris speaks up now, ignoring Lightning's response. "But either way, we have come to a final decision. First place, by a landslide, goes to the Beautiful Butterflies, congratulations!"

Lindsay lets out a loud squeal of excitement at hearing that her team has won. Leshawna, Dawn, and Sugar all form a group hug around her join her in celebrating.

"You did amazing, Lindsay!" Leshawna tells her.

"Absolutely, you were great!" Dawn agrees.

Sugar joins in with, "Beautiful Butterflies forever!"

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Okay, so I know that Leshawna has been all angry at me lately and stuff, but Lindsay's proven to be the biggest threat on our team. Now I just gotta get Dawn to side with me."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris cuts the celebration short so he can move on. "Yes, yes, we know you're all excited. Literally everyone knew you were going to win. Now, onto the announcement people _actually_ care about!"

The Brainy Beetles and Brawny Beavers all look anxious to hear second place, though the Beetles are more excited and the Beavers more defeated.

"Second place goes too..."

The Beavers all hold hands in solidarity. Sky squeezes Lightning's hand a little too hard, causing them both to blush.

Finally Chris says the second place team.

"The Brawny Beavers!"

Everyone's jaws drop wide open in shock at the announcement, including the Brawny Beavers themselves.

"We won?" Jasmine asks. No one answers her, but she continues anyway. "Guys, we won! We won!"

Chef weighs in with "Well, you didn't _win_ , but you are safe tonight."

Thats all the Beavers need to hear before they start hollering and jumping around in a similar fashion to the Butterflies. DJ picks up both Jasmine and Eva and spins them around, causing them all to laugh. Lightning does the same with Sky as a reflex, but immediately lets her down after the spin.

"Uh... sorry. Lightning don't know why he did that."

Sky giggles lightly. "No dude, it's fine... it was fun. Besides, I should be spinning _you_ after you saved us tonight."

Lightning laughs and replies, "Psh, sha-please. I know you're strong, but there's no way you can lift me!"

Sky gives him a playful glare. "I bet I can!"

As the rest of the team begins to join in on the discussion, the camera pans to Lindsay, who's looking at the scene from afar.

 ***Confessional- Lindsay***  
"Okay, so if Star and Thunder aren't together, why does he look at her like that?! I'm not dumb, that's the same way Tyler looks at me. There's something going on!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Scarlett looks beyond furious at the results. "What the... how?! They literally put DJ in Lightning's clothes! They don't even fit him right!"

Chris does a weak shrug and says, "Well, Lightning _is_ a jock and his clothes reflect that. And he was the "Brawn" part if our Season 4 finale. And also Chef and I were the judges so your opinion is of no importance."

"They didn't even make anything!" Courtney yells.

Again, another shrug from Chris. "We just said you had to make a look, that could mean anything... sewing, gluing, staples, swapping clothing. Either way Beetles, you lose. Prepare for the Campfire Ceremony or whatever."

The dejected Brainy Beetles follow the Brawny Beavers and Beautiful Butterflies back tot he cabins. As Courtney walks back to her cabin, DJ calls her over from the Brawny Beavers' cabin.

"What is it DJ?" Courtney says quietly.

DJ gulps. "Are you gonna be okay? Like, do you have a chance of going home?"

Courtney looks over to her cabin where her three other teammates are located. "I should be fine, but there's something I need to make happen."

"What is it?"

Courtney turns back to face DJ. "If it works, you'll find out after the Campfire Ceremony. But I can't talk with you guys until then so that Scarlett doesn't get suspicious, okay?"

DJ shakes his head and smiles. "Okay."

Courtney hastily makes her way to her room. Scarlett's sitting in her bed when she walks in. Scarlett doesn't even greet her before the strategizing begins.

"So, I've put some more thought into it, and I have to conclude that keeping B over Leonard is too great a risk at this stage in the game."

Courtney politely nods. "I can understand that. I just think we have a better chance of avoiding eliminations if we have B."

"True, but we're not bad at challenges ourselves. Leonard can just stay in the background."

Courtney nods again. "If you say so, then I'll vote for B. But I'm going to tell him we're voting Leonard so he doesn't try anything else."

"That's reasonable. We should meet up with those two anyway. You tell B to vote for Leonard, and I'll make sure Leonard isn't trying anything else."

With that, the two women make their way to the other side of the cabin. B and Leonard are both laying in their beds.

"Leonard, may I ask for a moment of your time alone?" Scarlett asks politely.

Leonard jumps up from the bed and says, "Of course! Let us take a stroll outside!"

The two leave Courtney and B by themselves in the boys cabin. Courtney wastes no time rushing to B's bed and nudging.

"Vote for Leonard tonight. I'm trying to make sure you don't go home, okay?" Courtney says promptly.

B nods and gives Courtney a thumbs up. Courtney smiles and says, "Good. No matter what is said, do _not_ change your vote." She leaves the cabin shortly after that.

Scarlett and Leonard are walking along the line of trees that border the campsite. Scarlett, having no time for pleasantries, decides to get straight to the point.

"We are still voting for B tonight, I presume?"

Leonard shakes his head vigorously. "Yes, as was planned! Though, I do hate to see him go!"

"Yes, it is sad. Hopefully we do not have to face another vote afterwards."

Leonard sighs, but still has a smile on his face. "Alas, let us hope this is the last elimination we see before the merge, for I'd hate to vote off Courtney. But still, I guess that's the fate one must face if they are not Leonard the Wizard, or his loyal sidekick Scarlett the Valiant!"

Scarlett turns sharply towards Leonard, but says nothing. She dons a fake smile until they make it back to the cabin. Courtney smiles when she sees Scarlett's hands balled up into fists.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Sidekick?!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

* * *

 _*Campfire Ceremony*_  
"Damn, you guys really suck at this." Chris says to the collective team. All four members look dejected and unamused as they sit on their stumps, waiting to hear the results.

"Can we just get on with it?" Courtney relies to the host.

Chris shakes his head. "With pleasure, though I must say it's hard to keep up the suspense with four members. Anyway, Scarlett and Courtney, you're both safe. Here are your marshmallows."

Both women are unsurprised and catch the marshmallows easily.

The camera pans to the bottom two as Chris continues to speak. "Leonard and B, one of you will be eliminated tonight. Leonard, it was your design that lost your team the challenge. B, you didn't really do anything wrong besides not be a part of the other three's alliance. And with that, I have one marshmallow left. Leonard..."

The suspenseful music begins to play up again. Leonard's waiting impatiently for his marshmallow. B and Courtney are nervous, and Scarlett's glaring, though it's unclear who she's glaring at. When the music ends, Chris finishes the reveal.

"You will _not_ be receiving this marshmallow tonight. Sorry dude, you're going home."

"What?!" Leonard yells. The other three Beetles look relieved and unapologetic about Leonard's blindside. Leonard, however, looks shocked enough for all of them.

"But I was doing so well! What happened?" He looks directly at Scarlett.

Scarlett shrugs and says bitterly. "What can I say? You've outlived your usefulness. Though we do thank you for helping us get rid of Shawn and Cameron."

Leonard's jaw drops even further down. "You... you witch! I curse you! You'll rue the day you turned on me, I swear it!"

Chef now goes over to pick up Leonard. Chris says, "Alright everyone, you should know the drill by now."

The scene turns to the Slingshot of Defeat, where Leonard is unsuccessfully struggling to get out.

"I'd ask if you have any last words, but I really don't wanna hear it." Chris says. "Chef?"

With that, Chef lets go and sends Leonard flying across the lake. Scarlett, Courtney, and B all shrug at each other and begin to walk back to the cabins.

The camera now pans to Chris so he can give his final spiel. "Meh, he lasted longer than I thought he would. Will the Brainy Beetles ever stop losing? Will any other team _start_ losing? Find out next time on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"

* * *

 **•End of Episode Eight•**

 **Another day, another loss for the Brainy Beetles. This was a major step of Courtney's plan to get rid of Scarlett. I hope Courtney targeting Leonard makes sense to all of you. Leonard was basically an extra vote for Scarlett at this point. By convincing Scarlett to cut him loose, she has made Scarlett a weaker opponent.**

 **Here are how the votes added up:**  
 **B- Leonard**  
 **Courtney- Leonard**  
 **Leonard- B**  
 **Scarlett- Leonard**

* * *

 **There is also another reason I decided to send Leonard home at this point in the game, and that's to show some weaknesses in Scarlett as a villain. Scarlett is a lot of things, but stable is not one of them. Keeping Leonard would've definitely led to another psychotic break for her, which is how she got eliminated last time. Courtney was able to use this weakness to her advantage to get rid of Leonard. It's the only way I could think to get Scarlett to vote for him. In my defense, it's a pretty big weakness of hers.**

 **This chapter was a mostly focusing on the Brainy Beetles, but the other teams had some moments too. Oddly enough, I would say they are at opposite ends of the spectrum. The Beautiful Butterflies are at odds with each other, but haven't been to an elimination in awhile. The Brawny Beavers are still dealing with the fallout of their only elimination, but they get along better than any other team. Let me know what you thought about their interactions in this challenge. I must admit, clueless Brawny Beavers were an absolute joy to write.**

 **These next two chapters will be very important, because they're the turning points for two of the teams. They might take awhile to write, but I promise I will do everything that I can to make sure it's worth it.**

* * *

 **This analysis is a rather short one, so I'll leave you with a little surprise announcement to make up for it. In future chapters, (I won't say which ones) there will be:**  
 **•A chapter where certain eliminated contestants will have the chance to get back in the game.**  
 **•A chapter where former campers not competing will make an appearance.**  
 **•A chapter where we see all the eliminated contestants again (besides the finale).**

 **Please continue to favorite, follow, and review this story. You're all amazing, please don't forget that! Much love!**  
 **~VintageMadame**

* * *

 **Eliminated: Harold, Topher, Anne Maria, Justin, Shawn, Brick, Jo, Cameron, Leonard**


	10. Out of Spite, Out of Mind

**Hello, beautiful people! I'm so anxiously excited to have this chapter finally finished for you! It's the longest chapter yet at over 10,000 words, so hopefully it'll be worth the wait!**

 **Pretty much every remaining camper has a significant interaction in this chapter, which is part of the reason why it is so long. As always, please keep an open mind to it all. Most importantly, enjoy it and don't hesitate to let me know your thoughts!**

* * *

 **Brainy Beetles: B, Courtney, Scarlett**

 **Brawny Beavers: DJ, Eva, Jasmine, Lightning, Sky**

 **Beautiful Butterflies: Dawn, Leshawna, Lindsay, Sugar**

* * *

 ***Last Episode Recap***  
"Last time, on Total Drama... the teams had to "make it work" in our latest challenge where they had to design an outfit together. There were mixed results, to say the least. Lindsay led the charge _again_ for the Beautiful Butterflies to score another landslide victory. The Brawny Beavers were pretty much clueless the entire time, and were only saved due to a last-minute idea from Lightning . As for the Brainy Beetles, well... Scarlett wanted to become the powerhouse of her team, Courtney wanted to have a say, and B just wanted to be safe. In the end, they all got their wish when they blindsided Leonard in a 3-1 vote. What will the next challenge be? Who will rise to the occasion? And who will fall flat on their face? It's time to find out now, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"  
 ***End Recap***

* * *

Leshawna, Jasmine, Lindsay, and Lightning are all giggling inside the guys' side of the Brawny Beaver cabin.

"You think he's gonna do it?" Jasmine asks the other three.

"No way, girl!" Lightning exclaims.

"I think he will!" Lindsay adds in.

Leshawna shushes them. "Shh, I think he's coming in right now."

Just then, DJ comes bursting through the door, clearly out of breath.

"Well, did you do it?" Leshawna asks excitedly.

DJ nods his head yes. "Yeah... I ran around the girls by the campfire three times while yodeling. I'm pretty sure Eva hates me now."

The other four campers begin to laugh hysterically at DJ's misfortune. DJ waves them off and says, "Yeah, yeah... laugh it off. Now it's _my_ turn. Lightning, truth or dare?"

Lightning smirks as if to say _try me. "_ Dare. Lightning ain't scared!"

DJ smirks back and says, "I dare you to let Jasmine draw on your face for 20 seconds."

Lightning's smirk instantly drops from his face. Jasmine already has a marker out, ready to go.

"Someone count to 20." She says happily.

Meanwhile, Eva, Sky, Dawn, and Sugar are outside at the campfire, still recovering from the scene of DJ yodeling at them. Sky, Dawn, and Sugar all look surprised. Eva looks annoyed.

"You see what I mean, Sky? We're the only ones on our team that actually care about the competition. Those three couldn't be serious if you paid them." Eva says bitterly.

Sky looks squeamish. "I don't know, Eva, that sounds kind of harsh. They can be serious when they need to be."

Eva scoffs. "Barely. The one challenge we lost so far was because of that stupid bet they insisted on having."

"Not to mention they're totally leaving us all out! I mean, what do they all have to be inside for?" Sugar asks.

"Sugar, you know they invited us all to play with them." Sky says defensively.

"This is true Sugar." Dawn adds in.

Sugar rolls her eyes dismissively. "Fine then. But if that's so, why aren't you playin' with them, Sky?"

Sky blushes a little at the question, but it's Eva that answers. "I'll tell you why, it's because she didn't want to be around Lightning."

Sky blushes even more now. "That's not why-"

Eva interrupts her. "Yes it is. It isn't good for you to have him on our team. Plus he's a physical threat."

Sky pauses for a moment before answering. "What are you saying, Eva?"

Sugar interrupts this time. "Oooo, I think she wants to get rid of Lightning if ya'll lose!"

Eva smirks at the remark. "That's exactly what I'm saying. What do you say, Sky? We lose, we vote for Lightning."

Sky begins to stutter. "Umm, I mean... I don't-"

Dawn, noticing how uncomfortable Sky is getting, decides to intervene. "I'm sorry, but I don't think we should be having this conversation now. We don't even know who's been eliminated yet, much less which team is going to lose the next challenge."

Sky nods vigorously. "Yes, I agree. Thank you Dawn. Eva, we can talk about this later."

Dawn smiles Sky's words. Eva scowls.

 ***Confessional- Eva***  
"I know that there's a possibility I will go home if the Brawny Beavers lose. My only hope is to turn Sky and Lightning against each other. If they vote for one another, and I vote for one of them, then it will at least be a tie."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"Um, I don't know who I would vote for if we lost. Lightning promised he would never vote for me, but that was before I rejected his alliance offer. But he's been so sweet lately... maybe Eva's right. Ugh, I'm hoping we just don't lose and I won't have to choose."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Speaking of Lightning, the jock jogs up to the four women rather sheepishly. When his face comes into full view, they can all see why. None of them can help but giggle at Jasmine's handiwork on his face. He has stars and hearts drawn on the sides, a curly mustache on his upper lip, and "Jasmine was here" written on his forehead.

"Truth or dare get a little out of hand, Lightning?" Sky teases playfully.

Lightning blushes and replies, "Er, you could say that. Lightning was on the bad end of a dare."

Before Sky can reply, Eva cuts in. "Any particular reason for you being here? We were already treated to DJ's yodeling earlier."

Lightning chuckles at the memory. "Heh, yeah... sorry about that. But the Brainy team's gonna be back soon if you guys wanna see who's gone."

Sugar shrugs. "I mean, it's obvious that B got voted off. No offense, Dawn."

Dawn shakes her head slightly. "None taken."

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"If B's voted off, that means I have very little places to look for alliance members. The merge is sure to be coming soon, and I need to be open to every possibility."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Sky stands up from her spot to join Lightning. "Come on, let's join the others. You never know what'll happen."

Eva and Dawn both stand to join her. Sugar rolls her eyes, but eventually gives in and follows them.

When the girls and Lightning make it back to the cabins, the three remaining Brainy Beetles are already there. Dawn is relieved to see B's tall frame next to Scarlett and Courtney. Sugar, not so much.

"Whaaa?!" The pageant queen yells. "Ya'll got rid of the wizard? Why in the world would you do such a thing?!"

"We wanted to keep the team strong." Courtney tells her bluntly.

"There's nothing stronger than a wizard! Everyone knows that!" Sugar says with a glare.

"His design lost us the challenge." Courtney reminds her. "Why do you care anyway? You're not on our team."

"You just totally screwed yourselves over!"

Courtney shrugs. "Fine then. All the better for the other teams."

Everyone else is beginning to get uncomfortable at the heated exchange. Jasmine steps in and says, "So Beetles! Some of us were playing Truth or Dare in the Brawn cabin. Would you like to join us?"

Courtney looks to Scarlett. Scarlett whispers to her, "You go ahead. I'm going to go talk to Sugar."

Courtney smiles and replies to Jasmine. "I'd love to join you guys."

With that, Courtney joins the people in the cabin, B joins Eva, Sky, and Dawn at the campfire, and Scarlett tries to console an upset Sugar.

"So... what happened to Lightning's face ?" Courtney asks.

Leshawna waves her off. "Just a dare. But girl, you gotta spill. What happened with tonight's vote?"

DJ leans in. "I'm guessing this is the outcome you were hoping for?"

Courtney gives a wicked smirk to the other five campers. "It couldn't have gone more perfectly. Leonard didn't see it coming, and Scarlett was more than happy to see him go."

"But why Larry?" Lindsay asks earnestly.

Jasmine answers for her. "To weaken Scarlett. I gotta say, Courtney, I'm impressed. Whatever scheme you're coming up with appears to be working."

Courtney smiles at this. "Thank you Jasmine. Now if only this stupid merge could happen soon."

"Amen to that. Our team's pretty great, but figuring out the team dynamics is exhausting." DJ says.

Lindsay adds in, "Ooh yes! I'd love for the merge to happen soon!"

Lightning, Jasmine, and Leshawna all nod in agreement.

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"That merge can not come fast enough. I'm ready to start working directly with DJ and Courtney, instead of worrying if they got voted off or not. Plus, the sooner I'm not on a team with Sugar anymore, the better."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Meanwhile, Scarlett is still comforting Sugar, though it's hard to miss the annoyed expression on her face.

"It's just, we had a perfect plan and e'rything! Why did ya'll have to vote out the wizard? We were gonna go to the Final Three!"

Scarlett looks to Sugar, playing up a sympathetic look on her face. "I'm sorry Sugar, I tried to save Leonard, I really did. But Courtney was so adamant about getting him out, there was really nothing I could do."

Sugar face has gone from saddened to full on angry. "That bitch! We need to get her out as soon as possible!"

Scarlett smiles at Sugar's plan. "Of course! We'll need her for a few rounds once the merge hits, but then we can do whatever you please."

Sugar smiles happily. "Good. Miss CIT is gonna pay for what she did!"

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Oh Sugar, what an imbecile. It'll be fun to crush her in the Final Two. But since she's still a vote in my favor, I'd rather have her mad at Courtney than myself. Sorry, Courtney."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

After a few hours, all the campers are finally asleep. Those who were playing Truth or Dare went to bed the latest, and they felt it in the morning when they woke up to the blaring alarm that came over the intercom.

In the Beauty cabin, Leshawna is trying to nudge Lindsay out of bed. She would probably be more helpful if she wasn't tired herself.

"Lindsay, come on... we gotta get up. We're gonna miss breakfast." Leshawna nudges her again.

"No breakfast... just sleep." Lindsay replies quietly.

"How can ya'll wanna sleep when we won an extra serving of breakfast this morning!?" Sugar tells them as she hurriedly changes for the day.

"Oh yeah, I forgot all about that." Dawn says.

Sugar looks appalled at Dawn's words. "How?! It's all I could dream of last night, come on!"

Leshawna groans and finally gives Lindsay one final shove.

"Sorry girl," she tells her blonde friend, "but we gotta head out before Sugar breaks something."

"Fineee." Lindsay surrenders. "Just give me a few minutes to get ready."

When they finally make it to the Dining Hall, the Brainy Beetles and the female Brawny Beavers are already there. B's sitting at the far end of the table, clearly waiting for Dawn. Scarlett, Eva, and Sky are sitting together. Next to them are Jasmine and Courtney, who are struggling to stay awake.

The Beautiful Butterflies collect their extra large breakfast and make way to their respective places. Dawn and Sugar sit with B, while Leshawna and Lindsay join Jasmine and Courtney at the end.

"So, um, do you know where the guys are?" Sky asks a sleepy Jasmine.

Jasmine shrugs as she lazily eats a piece of scrambled eggs. "Knowing them, probably still asleep."

"You mean they're slacking." Eva growls.

"No, I mean they're both equally tired and probably aren't going to convince each other to get up." Jasmine says defensively.

"Eva, it's okay. We can just go wake them up after breakfast." Sky insists.

Just then, a tired Lightning and DJ come bursting through the door. As expected, they both look exhausted. The marker has been mostly scrubbed off of Lightning's face, but you can still see faint outlines of stars on the sides. Both guys perk up when the smell of breakfast hits them. They make their way to end of the table where Leshawna and Lindsay just sat.

"So, this is the napping corner?" DJ says jokingly.

"God I hope so," Jasmine replies, "I could use a nap."

"We literally just woke up." Eva tells her. Sky gives her a disapproving look at this.

"At least we wake up to breakfast. The Lightning is starving!" Lightning exclaims as he digs into his eggs.

"You say you're starving before every meal." Eva quips back.

"Eva, stop it." Sky mumbles.

Before Eva can retort, Leshawna speaks up.

"Man, this reward sucks. All we get is extra servings of crappy food."

"Lightning will finish it for ya!" Lightning extends his plate out to Leshawna, but it's Lindsay who gives him her leftovers.

"Ooo Thunder, take mine! I'll never finish this!" She hands her extra serving to the athlete, who receives it happily.

"Thanks, Lindsay! Man, we gotta make this a regular thing!" Lightning says.

Lindsay laughs. "You'll be the first person I'll offer my leftovers too!

The two laugh at the exchange. No one notices the look of discomfort that Sky's sporting.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Lindsay and I got a good thing going. She gives me her leftovers, and I eat them. Though it'd be cooler if she remembered my name."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional-Lindsay***  
"Thunder eats the gross food I don't want, and I really respect that about him. Also he's totalllyyyy crushing on Star and it's so cute. TJ told me it was funny to tease him about it and he was so right!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"No, I'm not jealous of Lindsay. I just miss being able to have those kind of silly conversations with Lightning. We've had some moments, but it's getting really difficult for me to ignore... whatever these feelings are."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Leshawna chuckles too and says, "Well damn, Lindsay, now who's gonna eat my leftovers?

Sugar raises her hand on the other side of the Mess Hall, and shouts "Bring em' over here, I'll eat them!"

Leshawna shrugs and brings the extras over to her teammate. Sugar pratically inhales them.

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"Hey, looks like Sugar is good for something."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Soon afterwards everyone is done with their meals. They clean up and begin to leave the dining hall slightly confused.

"This is... odd." Scarlett comments out loud.

"How so?" Dawn asks.

"Usually Chef or Chris would be here by now to inform us of our latest challenge." Scarlett replies.

"She's got a point." Eva says.

"Maybe we don't have a challenge today?" Jasmine suggests.

"Man, I sure hope so." DJ adds.

Sky looks puzzled. "So if we don't have a challenge today... then what do we do?"

Dawn shrugs. "I guess we just head back to the cabins."

"Oh thank god, more sleep!" Lindsay says. She looks like she's about to cry of happiness. Leshawna and Courtney look just as enthused.

Eva rolls her eyes. "Let's just head back, please."

All 12 campers agree to this and hurry back to their cabins. When they arrive, they see Chef and Chris there waiting for them.

"Good morning, campers!" Chris tells the group. "Are you all ready for the next challenge?"

"No... dear god no!" DJ says sadly. Jasmine and Lightning look just as devastated.

Eva rolls her eyes. "Ignore them, they didn't get their beauty sleep last night."

"No worries, I would've ignored them anyway." Chris replies snidely. "Anyway... all you sleepy heads may want to wake up, because you'll need to keep your eyes peeled for your next task."

"Oh god, what is it?" Leshawna asks cautiously.

Chris smiles. "I'm glad you asked Leshawna. For your next challenge, each team will have to find their team's medallion, which will be hidden somewhere around camp. More specifically, one of these medallions."

Chris holds up three large circles for the teams to see. Each one is a different team color and has the team mascot engraved on them. There's a yellow medallion with a beetle, a red one with a beaver, and a purple one with a butterfly.

Courtney looks skeptical. "That's it? We have to find one oversized coin?"

Chris shrugs. "More or less. The first two teams to find their medallion will be safe. Last team to find it will be going to the Campfire Ceremony."

"Well, what are you waiting for? Hide the damn things!" Eva yells to the host.

Chris chuckles at Eva's impatience. "Oh Eva, so naive. We won't be hiding these medallions... you are."

"Huh?" Lightning asks aloud.

"That's right. Each team will be assigned another team's medallion. You get ten minutes to hide it anywhere on the island. No throwing it in the lake, and no burying it underground. Once you've hidden it, you cannot move it elsewhere. Searching will begin once all the medallions are hidden."

"So, who's hiding whose medallions?" Scarlett asks with an eyebrow raised in interest.

"I was getting to that, if you'd let me. Brawn, you be hiding Brain's medallion. Brain, you'll hiding Beauty's, and Beauty, you'll be hiding Brawn's."

Chris tosses the medallions to the respective teams. B catches the Beauty medallion, Dawn catches the Brawn one, and Sky catches The Brain one.

"Brawny Beavers, you'll be hiding the Brainy Beetles' medallion first. Beetles and Butterflies, go wait in your cabins until your turns begin."

The Brawny Beavers remain outside while the Brainy Beetles and Beautiful Butterflies head into their cabins. Chris doesn't speak again until the other teams are out of sight.

"Alright Beavers, your ten minutes begins... NOW!"

The Beavers huddle together as soon as Chris is done speaking.

"So, where should we hide this thing?" Sky asks, holding up the yellow medallion of the Brainy Beetles.

Lightning talks next. "Somewhere high up or further away."

"But all the remaining Beetles are pretty agile. Not sure if it will do us any good." Jasmine reminds him.

DJ speaks up. "Ooh, what about the-"

"NO." Eva halts whatever he was going to say. "You can't know where we're hiding this."

"What, why?"

"Because you're all buddy-buddy with Courtney. How do we know you're not gonna blab our hiding spot to her?"

"Um, because I also want to win?!" DJ retorts.

Everyone's silent for a moment before Eva speaks again. "Still, the Brainy Beetles are sneaky. I don't trust them."

"Or me, apparently." DJ mumbles.

"It's nothing personal, dude." Eva replies.

"Eva, we can't just leave team members out of these decisions." Jasmine tells her.

"Why not?" Eva asks. "The less people that know, the better. Especially when you have someone like Scarlett on their team."

"You know... Eva may have a point." Sky says.

"What?" DJ and Jasmine ask together.

"If we have one person hide it, it'll take less time and Scarlett can't trick anyone into revealing it. She's smart like that." Sky explains.

Lightning nods. "That might be our best choice."

Jasmine gives a huff and speaks again. "Okay, fine. Eva, think you can hide it in a good spot?"

Eva shakes her head. "Definitely."

DJ mutters out. "Fine, go hide it. We'll all wait here."

Eva runs off with the yellow medallion in her hand. The rest of the team remains in their spot. DJ looks particularly disgruntled.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Time will tell if Eva's plan is a good one, but there was no need to call me out for being friends with Courtney. She doesn't trust me, so I clearly can't trust her."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Eva***  
"The Brawny Beavers have no room for error. My life in the game is at risk, so I can't afford my teammates messing anything up."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

It takes Eva almost the whole ten minutes to hide the Brainy Beetles medallion. When she return to her team, they don't have to wait long for their time to run out.

"Brawny Beavers, your hiding time is up!" Chris announces over the intercom. "Brainy Beetles, you're up next! Your ten minutes start once the Brawny Beavers return to their cabin."

As the Beavers head into their cabin, the Beetles head out. Courtney gives DJ a friendly smile as they leave. DJ smiles back, much to Eva's annoyance.

When the Brawn team is out of sight, Courtney turns to her two teammates and says, "Chris says we can hide the medallion _anywhere_ on the island, right?"

Scarlett and B both nod. "This is correct. As long as we don't bury it or throw it in the water."

Courtney gives a wicked smirk at this, much to the delight of Scarlett and B. "Well, what about hiding it..."

Courtney whispers the last part into Scarlett and B's ears, respectively.

Scarlett and B both smile when they hear Courtney's proposal.

"A little bit of a risk, but I believe the Butterflies wouldn't think to look there." Scarlett concludes. B nods in agreement.

The Brainy Beetles wander around the island for the entire ten minutes in order to throw the other teams off. It takes them about 30 seconds to actually hide the medallion.

When their time is up, the team of three head into their cabin so the Beautiful Butterflies can start. Their conversation is eerily similar to the Brainy Beetle's strategy.

"So, Chris said we could hide our medallion _anywhere,_ right?" Sugar asks her teammates.

"Yeahhh... why?" Leshawna asks. She looks terrified to hear what Sugar's answer could possibly be.

"Well, I think I know the perfect place!" Sugar exclaims. She brings her team into a huddle and quietly tell them her idea.

"Ewww Sugar, I don't wanna hide it there!" Lindsay squirms.

Leshawna has a similar expression of disgust. "Seriously, Sugar, what's wrong with you?"

Dawn speaks up. "Well, I doubt anyone else will have thought of it... and it's not like we'll have to touch anything."

Leshawna and Lindsay look at each other, unsure what to do. Neither of them want to admit that Dawn is right."

Finally, Leshawna speaks again. "Fine... but _Sugar's_ hiding it, since it was her idea."

Sugar snatches the red medallion from Lindsay's hands. "Don't mind if I do!" She yells enthusiastically.

Sugar saunters over to her suggested hiding place, with the other three choosing to stay behind. They're done before they even hit the six minute mark in their hiding time.

Once the Beautiful Butterflies have finished their task and returned to the cabins, Chris' voice comes on over the intercom.

"Okay, campers! All three medallions have been hidden. Your team wins if any one of your teammates finds the medallion first or second. Losers, well... you know the drill. Searching time begins... now!"

With that, all the campers began their search. Each team made a small huddle to strategize before they dispersed.

The Brainy Beetles group up quickly. Scarlett looks to her two teammates and says, "Split up and search?"

Courtney and B both nod.

"Sounds good to me. Make sure to look in every book and cranny. Let's go!" Courtney concludes.

The three Beetles head out as soon as Courtney's done speaking. Scarlett heads towards the beach, B goes into the forest, and Courtney starts walking to the gym.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"In this scenario, complicated strategies would be pointless for our team. The Brawny Beavers most likely hid our medallion somewhere high up or somewhere mildly clever. So if I dumb myself down a bit to get into their mindset, I'm sure I'll be able to narrow down their potential choices for hiding spots in no time."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The Beautiful Butterflies also had a short huddle, because Leshawna was the only one who spoke.

"Lindsay and I will go search through the forest. Dawn, you cover the gym and beach. Sugar, check out everything close by. Sound good?"

Everyone nods. Leshawna smiles and says, "Great, let's go search!"

Leshawna and Lindsay run off towards the forest without another word. Dawn looks hesitant, and Sugar looks determined.

"Man, it's hard to be a good team when we have Lindsay and Leshawna calling' all the shots, huh?" Sugar asks the tiny blonde.

Dawn looks ahead and replies quietly, "I'm going to go search now. See you later Sugar."

Dawn leaves promptly after her reply. The pageant queen huffs in annoyance before going to search herself.

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"The forest is the largest part of the island, and the trickiest to search through. It makes sense to have two people search that area. I'm sure Dawn's not reading too much into that."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"Lindsay and Leshawna have been great friends to me. Unfortunately, they're even better friends to each other. Keeping them both around is bad for my game. Then again, keeping Sugar around is bad for my sanity."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The Brawny Beavers' huddle doesn't last much longer than the Beautiful Butterflies.

Eva speaks up first. "Okay, so we should divide the island into five sections and have one person search each area. I'm thinking-"

Jasmine holds up her hand to stop her from continuing. "We don't have time to make complicated plans. I doubt the Butterflies hid our medallion anywhere out of reach. Let's just head out and search."

Eva looks annoyed at this. "No, we need to have a plan in place to make sure we don't miss anything."

By this time, the Butterflies and Beetles have already began their search.

DJ speaks up after seeing both teams leave. "We really don't have time to be arguing about this, the other teams already left. Eva, we let you hide the medallion alone, so let's just go with Jasmine's suggestion this time."

Eva glares at DJ, but says "fine," anyway. The team dispersed immediately after this, choosing to not add to the tension that already existed.

 ***Confessional- Eva***  
"My team seems to be incapable of any kind of strategy. Things need to change, and soon."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

DJ, Jasmine, and Eva all sprint off further down the island. DJ is going towards the gym. Jasmine and Eva are both charging towards patches of forest, but in different directions. Sky and Lightning are the only two that remain near the cabins.

Both look understandably nervous now that they're alone. Sky speaks up first.

"Well, since they all ran further off, I think we should look closer to camp?"

It's supposed to be a statement, but her nervous tone makes it sound more like a question. Lightning instantly perks up after Sky spoke to him.

"Sha-yeah, sounds great! Maybe... maybe we should look together? That way we can make sure we don't miss anything." Lightning suggests.

Sky smiles at him. "Sure, I'd like that. But we should hurry, we don't have any time to waste. Let's head to the beach."

Sky grabs Lightning by the wrist and begins to hurry towards their destination. With both of them facing forward, neither can see the blush that's on their faces.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"What? It makes sense for us to search as a pair- we'll cover more ground that way. I would've asked any of my other team members to join me if they hadn't rushed off. I swear I would've!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Lightning thinks that was the first one-on-one conversation he and Sky had since I gave her the candy. And now we're working together again, which is sha-awesome! Um, ya know, game-wise, that is."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Meanwhile, Courtney, DJ, and Dawn are all in the gym. It hasn't been that long since the search began, but the three have managed to tear the gymnasium apart. DJ's looking under the bleachers, Courtney's rummaging through the supply closet, and Dawn is searching through the bathroom.

Courtney leaves the supply closet to go look under the bleachers with DJ. He smiles to her as she approaches.

"No luck yet, huh?" The brick house asks her.

Courtney shakes her head sadly. "Nope, nothing. You know, I wouldn't mind a hint from my favorite Brawny Beaver."

DJ chuckles and waves her off. "Girl, I couldn't help you even if I wanted to. Eva hid the medallion herself, no one else knows where it is."

Courtney raises her eyebrows up in confusion. "Seriously? Why?"

"She didn't trust me not to tell you." He replies bitterly.

"Oh... well, I'm sorry then. But either way Eva should treat you better, you guys are a team."

DJ's unhappy look begins to soften at this. "When did you become such a team player?"

Courtney shrugs and smiles to him. "I guess I just had to make some really good friends."

DJ gives a hearty chuckle. "Stop girl, you're gonna make me blush."

Courtney gives him a light shove. "Hey, I never said I was talking about you."

"Oh, ouch!" DJ says lightheartedly with his hands over his heart.

"But since you seem to think we're such good friends and neither of us know where the other's medallion is, why don't we team up?" Courtney asks playfully.

DJ looks around cautiously before answering. "I don't see why not. It's gotta be better then doing this for the next few hours."

"Great! I didn't find anything in the supply closet." Courtney says enthusiastically.

"Sweet, I've combed through the bleachers a few times and I haven't seen anything." DJ replies.

"Want to go check the bathroom and then look elsewhere?"

"Sounds good to me."

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"I think this is an acceptable challenge for DJ and I to actively work together. Plus, if the Beautiful Butterflies lose, Lindsay and Leshawna have the votes to ensure their safety. Wth the merge coming up, I need to show him that I'm still serious about our alliance."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

As the pair enter the large bathroom, Dawn is just leaving. She gives them a quiet 'excuse me' before exiting the gym altogether once she's out of sight.

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"I heard every word of their conversation, which I'm hoping they didn't realize. It seems that DJ and Courtney's bond is stronger than I first anticipated. With a merge looming ahead, that isn't good for me. I need to learn more."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Dawn walks towards the beach to find Sugar and Scarlett conversing. She attempts to hide herself from them, only to be waved over by Sugar. Seeing no other way out of the situation, Dawn slowly approaches them.

"Hey Dawn! You find anything in the gym?" Sugar asks once Dawn is beside her.

Dawn shakes her head no. "Sadly, no. But DJ and Courtney have been looking in there too, and neither of them found anything either."

Sugar shudders in disgust at mention of the two other campers. "Ugh, I do not trust those two, they be nothin' but trouble together!"

Dawn looks down at the sand and remains silent. Scarlett raises an eyebrow at the tiny blonde. She then puts a hand on her shoulder and gives her a slight smile.

"Dawn," the redhead asks, "they didn't say anything to upset you, did they?"

Dawn looks up at Scarlett with a weary look. "No, nothing of concern. It's just hard to search with two other people in there."

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"I don't want to give any information on other competitors until I have all the details. Especially not to Scarlett. Her aura suggests that she has enough power as is."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"I could care less if Courtney hurt Dawn's feelings, I'd actually encourage it. But I have to make Dawn and Sugar believe that I'm on their side in order to gain more allies."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Scarlett nods. "Understandable. I'm going to go search around the Mess Hall. If the Brainy Beetles' medallion is found, come find me."

Before Sugar or Dawn can ask for her to elaborate, Scarlett turns away from them and heads to the Mess Hall. Dawn looks confused and Sugar looks excited.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Looks like the Beautiful Butterflies are about to get a free pass this challenge! Good thing too, I gotta make sure I find that medallion before Lindsay. That girl has too many wins for her own good!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

In the forest, Lindsay and Leshawna are searching together. Leshawna is surveying the ground, while Lindsay is looking up towards the trees.

"Leshawna, I don't think the medallion's here. We've been searching for like, over an hour. I'm pretty sure we already passed through here." Lindsay says.

Leshawna looks baffled at Lindsay. "Girl, it's a _forest,_ all these parts look the same!"

Lindsay lets out a loud sigh. "Okay, but still, this challenge is taking forever."

"Hey, don't complain. At least we finally get time away from Sugar. White girl's been getting on my last nerve."

Lindsay nods. "Yeah, she's been so rude lately. I bet even Dawn's annoyed with her, and Dawn's nice to everyone."

Leshawna stops in her tracks after hearing Lindsay's comment. She looks ahead, and then behind her. From what she can see, there's no one nearby.

"Hey Lindsay, how much are you willing to bet that Dawn is annoyed with Sugar?" She asks the blonde.

Lindsay doesn't even hesitate. "Oh, I know she's annoyed. She looks so uncomfortable whenever Sugar's around. It's so obvious."

Leshawna smiles at this. "How heartbroken would you be if we lost the challenge? Even if it meant that Sugar went home."

Lindsay thinks about this for a minute before answering. "I mean, if it's Sugar going home, I wouldn't be sad. Me, you, and Dawn sound like a nice team."

"So, what if we just stopped searching? Decrease our chances of winning a little bit? I mean, no one's gonna know that we stopped since we're the only ones around."

Lindsay immediately drops to the ground at Leshawna's suggestion. She's spread out in the grass like a starfish. "I thought you'd never suggest it. I so need this break."

Leshawna laughs and joins her friend on the ground. "Alright, we throw the challenge. But if someone comes by, make sure that it looks like we're searching."

Lindsay gives Leshawna a thumbs up in lieu of a response.

 ***Confessional- Lindsay***  
"Normally, I wouldn't want to throw a challenge like this, but I'm just wayyyy too exhausted. If Sugar or Dawn find or medallion, then we're safe. If they don't, then Sugar goes home. It's a win-win!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The camera now switches over to a different part of the forest to find B and Jasmine conversing. They are standing near a large tree, quite possibly the largest one in the forest. Jasmine has several vines wrapped around her waist and thighs. B is holding onto two larger vines that ascend up around the tree branches. These vines are connected to Jasmine's makeshift harness.

"So mate, you're sure this is safe?" Jasmine asks wearily. B gives each vine a tight tug. When nothing happens, B nods happily to Jasmine.

Jasmine still looks unsure, but still says, "Alright then let's do this. Here goes everything..."

With that, B begins to tug at the two larger vines, which pull Jasmine off the ground. After a few minutes of this, Jasmine grabs a sturdy branch and shifts herself so she can sit on it.

She turns down to B and shouts, "Okay B, you can stop pulling! I'll let you know when I'm ready to come down!"

Jasmine heard nothing in reply, but she expected that much. She figured he must of heard her, since the pulling on her harness has stopped.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"I ran into B when I was searching through the woods. Deciding to team up was a no brainer, especially since we don't know where each other's medallion is. And I gotta say, the guy's chill, and really smart. If only the Brawny Beavers could work this well together without arguing."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Eva is walking through the woods when she spots B looking up at the large tree while holding onto vines. She approaches him when she sees that he isn't moving or making any effort to search.

Once she is within hearing distance, she asks the Beetle, "What the hell are you up too?"

B looks to Eva and then moves his head upward to signal her to follow his gaze. When Eva looks up, she's surprised to find her teammate searching through the trees.

"Jasmine, what the hell are you doing?!" Eva screeches.

Jasmine looks down and squints. Once she sees Eva next to B, she yells back, "Hey Eva! B made this whole pulley system with vines so that we don't tire ourselves out by climbing trees. How cool is that?"

Eva doesn't appear to be impressed in the slightest. "Get down here!" She shouts.

Jasmine rolls her eyes, grateful that she's too far up for Eva to see it. Nonetheless, she still sits down on the branch and shouts, "B, are you ready to help me down?"

"He shook his head yes!" Eva replies for him. Jasmine pushes herself off the branch and B successfully lowers her down.

"Thanks, B!" Jasmine says happily. B smiles to her in appreciation. Eva pulls her aside away from the Beetle so they can talk in private.

"Eva, what's wrong?" Jasmine asks in an irritated tone.

"Why are you working with B? You're fraternizing with an enemy!" Eva accuses her.

Jasmine lets out a loud sigh. "Eva, calm down. We're just making the challenge easier for ourselves."

"Making the challenge easier for the other team is not good strategy!" Eva scowls.

Jasmine looks like she's about to lose it. Instead, she takes a deep breath and says, "Seriously Eva, did it ever occur to you that our ideas of 'good strategy' may be different? That doesn't mean that either of us are better than the other! Besides, there'd be no reason to team up with B if I just knew where the Brainy Beetles' bloody medallion was in the first place!"

Eva looks surprised at Jasmine's outburst. Before she can reply, Chris' voice comes on over the intercom.

"Man, this is taking way too long. Campers, since you all suck so much at searching, I have no choice but to give each team a hint as to where you should look."

"Oh, thank goodness!" Sugar shouts in relief. Dawn shushes her so she can hear the clues.

Chris says next, "Brainy Beetles, your medallion is hidden in quite the _hot spot_."

Courtney looks to DJ and says quietly, "The kitchen!"

Chris continues with, "Beautiful Butterflies, it seems that you're going to have to get _up close_ and _personal_ with the Brainy Beetles to find your medallion."

Lindsay and Leshawna look at each other in confusion. They both shrug, stand up from their resting place, and begin to walk back slowly towards camp.

The final clue Chris gives is also the shortest. "Brawny Beavers, what can I say? Your medallion's hiding spot _stinks_."

Lightning and Sky, who were searching under the dock, reemerge and look at each other with a puzzled expression.

"Sky, you don't think the Butterflies hid it in the dumpster, do you?" Lightning asks.

"You mean the big one behind the Mess Hall?" Sky clarifies.

Lightning shakes his head 'yes'. After a moment of being deep in thought, Sky speaks again.

"Knowing Sugar, that's exactly where they hid it."

The two Beavers sprint over to the oversized dumpster. They both look squeamish about going to search in there.

Sky looks to Lightning wearily and says, "Well, let's do this."

The gymnast tries to jump to get a grip on the edge of the dumpster, but her short height is preventing her from reaching it. After a few unsuccessful attempts, she feels a pair of strong arms wrap around her waist.

"Lightning's gonna give you a boost, is that cool?" The jock asks.

Sky turns her head to look at him directly. She's about to say yes, but instead of words, a loud burp comes out.

"Oh my god, Lightning, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to... I mean, I didn't..."

Lightning laughs at this. "Na, it's cool. Guess I gripped a little too tight, huh?"

Sky nervously stammers out, "Um, yeah! It's okay though, no big deal. Just give me a boost, please."

Lightning does has he's told. Once Sky lands safely in the dumpster, he boosts himself up without any problems.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"I thought I finally had control over burping around guys I like. This is not good, not good at all."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

While Sky and Lightning are searching though the dumpster, Scarlett's made her way to the kitchen. She opens an oven to see if the medallion is hidden in there. When she finds nothing, she closes it and turns around. She almost has a heart attack when she sees Sugar and Dawn standing behind her.

"What in the world are you two doing here?" The redhead asks the two blondes.

Dawn mutters out, "The Butterflies' hint said to get close to the Brainy Beetles. We figured going to you was a good start."

Sugar shook her head vigorously. "Yeah! So where's the medallion? You got it in your pocket or something?!"

Sugar reaches out towards Scarlett. The Brainy Beetle swats her hand away. She silently calms herself down and looks at the two with a slight smile on her face.

"I promise you, the medallion is not in my, nor any of my teammates', pockets. Tell you what, if you help me find the Brainy Beetles' medallion first, I'll tell you both where it is."

The two Beautiful Butterflies look at each other, as if to silently communicate what they want to do. Dawn shrugs and turns her head back to Scarlett.

"I don't see why not."

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Brawn still has a numbers advantage, and has been unusually lucky these past few challenges. I'd say it's time to pass some of that luck to the other teams."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"It's a risk to work with Scarlett and essentially throw the challenge to her. But with a guaranteed second place and a potential alliance on the line, it's a risk I'm going to have to take. Maybe we'll get really lucky and Lindsay or Leshawna will win instead."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Meanwhile, Lindsay and Leshawna are hiding out in the communal bathrooms and fixing up their manicures. They're making no effort to search.

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"I'd feel bad about throwing the challenge if I wasn't so busy daydreaming about what our team would be like without Sugar in it."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

As Scarlett, Sugar, and Dawn are looking through the kitchen, the door opens to reveal B, Jasmine, and Eva.

"What are you doing here?" Jasmine asks Scarlett viciously.

Scarlett smirks at her. "Attempting to complete the challenge, which I assume is the same reason you're all here."

Jasmine's glare intensifies."Whatever, just stay clear of us."

Scarlett replies, "Gladly. Though I would like to speak to my teammate in private. I'll probably be of more use to him than you."

B just shrugs and walks over to Scarlett. Scarlett briefly tells B where she's searched.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"It's possible that Eva hid their medallion somewhere in the kitchen. I mean, how many places can you think of that are hot? I just hope that Eva was a little more clever than that."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The group of six resume searching in various parts of the kitchen, with Jasmine and Scarlett avoiding each other at all costs.

As the kitchen is being torn apart, they all hear the door open again.

"Oh lord, who is it this time?" Sugar shouts in annoyance.

Everyone turns to the door to see Courtney standing there. Her eyes widen when she sees how many people are in the kitchen.

"Oh, my bad." Courtney says to the group. "I'll just go look somewhere else."

As Courtney leaves, Eva's eyes squint in suspicion. Once she sees the direction Courtney is heading, she runs after her.

"Eva? Where are you going?" Jasmine asks.

"I think I saw DJ with her!" Eva yells.

Jasmine looks confused. "So? It's not like he can help her."

Eva ignores her and runs to catch up with the brick house. "DJ! Where are you going?"

DJ turns to speak to his teammate. Courtney gave them a little distance to talk, but not enough so that she can't pick up on pieces of their conversation. "I think Courtney wanted to look by the bathrooms? There's a good chance our medallion is there too."

Eva says anxiously, and probably a little too loudly, "Keep her away from the fire pit, okay?"

Before DJ can reply, Courtney mutters under her breath. "Fire pit? Wait..."

Courtney sprints off towards the campfire that they recently used. Eva and DJ stand there dumbfounded. Eva is silently begging that the Brainy Beetle has miscalculated where the medallion is hidden.

Much to Eva's dismay, Courtney runs over to the large fire pit that the campers who didn't play Truth or Dare used the night before. She tears apart the remains of the campfire like a madwoman. Pieces of burned wood go flying everywhere, leaving Courtney covered in ash. Finally, she uncovers a large yellow coin with a beetle carved on it.

Courtney grabs the medallion without hesitation. She stands up quickly and begins to jump around frantically. "I found it... oh my god, I found it! Chris, Chef, I found it!"

Suddenly, Chris' voice comes on over the intercom. "Attention Campers! I'd like to congratulate... The Brainy Beetles, on first place for this challenge! No elimination for you three tonight!"

Lightning and Sky both look terrified at the announcement. Sky begins tearing through the garbage even faster now. She has a scowl on her face and, much like Lightning, is covered in trash.

"Come on Lightning, pick up the pace! We can't lose this challenge!"

Lightning's face brightens up at the look of Sky frantically searching. He says, "Yes mam'," happily and hurries up with his digging.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Lightning thinks Sky's really pretty when she's challenge-crazy. Maybe not the covered in garbage part though."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Unbeknownst to either Beaver, their searching was in vain. After hearing the announcement, Scarlett immediately turns to Sugar and Dawn and says, "Go to the men's side of the Brainy Beetles' cabin immediately. The medallion is under one of the mattresses."

Dawn and Sugar sprint over to Scarlett's specified location. The purple medallion is found within minutes.

Chris' voice lights up the intercom once more. "And with that, the Beautiful Butterflies take second place!"

"Aww man!" Lindsay whines out. Leshawna shushes her so they can hear the rest of the announcement.

"Everyone, meet at the front of the cabins asap!"

When all the campers make it to the cabins, they're in various stages of disarray. Courtney's covered in ash, Jasmine has dirt and scratches from the vines all over her, and Scarlett's usually pristine bun is disheveled. But it's Sky and Lightning that take the cake. They're covered head to toe in garbage, with their clothes littered in unidentifiable stains. Neither of them look particularly pleased.

Jasmine covers her nose up at the smell. "What the hell happened to you two?!"

"We thought our medallion might be in the dumpster." Lightning says.

"It was not." Sky adds in.

At this, Sugar bursts out in laughter. "So... you're tellin' me... that you two spent the challenge diggin' through trash, and it wasn't even there? That's hilarious!" She starts laughing again.

Eva cuts into Sugar's laughing fit. "Wait! Where even was our medallion? We looked everywhere!"

"Oh, trust me, you don't wanna know..." Lindsay tells her. The rest of her team nods in agreement.

Sky looks Lindsay dead in the eye. "Lindsay, Lightning and I are covered in the remains of everything we've eaten over the past few weeks. Tell us where the medallion is."

The scene cuts to all the campers surrounding the Outhouse Confessional. Sugar opens the outhouse door and points down the toilet bowl.

"I threw it in there somewhere." Sugar announces to the campers. The Brawny Beavers' jaws collectively drop in a mixture of shock and disgust.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"To be fair, even if I did find the medallion, I wouldn't have picked it up anyway."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Well, that's disgusting." Chris says bluntly. He looks to the losing team and continues. "Brawny Beavers, take some time to _really_ think about who you want to vote off. I'll see you all tonight at the Campfire Ceremony."

The five Brawn team members look at each other nervously. Lightning's the first to break the silence.

"Um, Lightning's gonna go take a shower. I'll see you when I'm done in a few... hours."

DJ chuckles. "Yeah man, you need it. I'll head back to the cabins with you."

DJ and Lightning leave for their bunks. The three Brawny Beaver women are quiet for a few minutes before Sky speaks up. "Ya know, a shower does sound really good right now."

Eva shouts "Wait!," before Sky can take a step.

"Sky, have you put more though into getting rid of Lightning tonight?" She asks.

Sky bites down on her bottom lip, clearly startled. Jasmine raises her eyebrows in surprise, unaware that this conversation took place.

Sky eventually stutter out, "No. I mean, I have thought about it, but... I just don't see a reason to vote for him."

Eva elaborates. "Think about it, Sky. You've always valued competition over boys. Lightning's messing with that, and he's only gonna make you a bigger target in the future."

Sky still looks uncertain. She says quietly, "I mean... I can see your point. Lightning has been messing with my focus, I just didn't think it was that obvious."

Eva looks at her sympathetically. "It is really obvious."

Sky nods slowly. "I'll have to think about it some more. Jasmine, what do you think?"

Jasmine looks unpleased, but her expression softens when she sees how torn Sky looks.

"I'll vote however you vote." The Aussie finally replies.

Sky looks relieved at the Jasmine. Eva looks smugly pleased.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"Lightning's... I don't know what he is to me right now, okay? I don't know, and it terrifies me. So yeah, I have to figure out if voting him off would be the best thing for me."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Eva***  
"Having Sky and Lightning competing together on the island is not good for anyone. I think I made a pretty compelling case to Sky. But for good measure, I need to make sure that Lightning votes for Sky. The less votes for me, the better."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Eva's waiting in front of the boys' side of the Brawny Beaver cabin when Lightning comes back from his shower.

"Yo Lightning, can we talk?" Eva asks.

Lightning looks uncomfortable ."Um, can it wait until Lightning has more than a towel on?"

Eva rolls her eyes. "No, this is important."

Lightning looks around. Once he sees that no one is watching, he says "Fine, but make it sha-quick."

Eva doesn't miss a beat. "We should vote for Sky tonight."

"What? No way, Lightning's not doing that."

"Why not?"

Lighting stutters at this. "Be-because, because I'm not, that's why!"

Eva doesn't hesitate. "She's voting for you, so I don't see what the problem is."

Lightning determined look drops from his face. "You're lying."

"Nope. She told me after the challenge."

Now Lightning looks utterly defeated at this new information. At a few moments of silence, he says, "Lightning will think about it. Now can I please go change clothes?"

Eva steps away from the door so he can step inside his room. Once he's inside, Eva goes to her own cabin, satisfied with the talk. What she doesn't realize is that Jasmine saw the two talking from afar.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Eva has been scrambling to make sure either Sky or Lightning get eliminated. But I'm more concerned about what I want, and what I want is for Eva to go home. And I'm pretty sure there's at least one other Beaver that feels the same way..."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Jasmine approaches DJ and tells him that they need to talk privately. DJ agrees, and the pair head off to the beach. They walk along the shoreline as they talk.

"Okay DJ, real talk. If you had final say in who went home tonight, who would you pick?"

DJ doesn't even hesitate. "Eva. I trust you guys more."

Jasmine nods. "I want Eva to go home too. She's telling Sky and Lightning to vote for each other."

"You think they will?"

"I don't know. They're both hesitant at least. They might do it just so they don't have to see their crushes anymore."

"Well, if at least one of them votes Eva, and we vote Eva, then Eva gets eliminated."

Jasmine shakes her head again. "I think we should vote for her then. Worse that could happen is a tiebreaker. Best case we still get our way, which is likely."

DJ smiles in agreement. "Should we tell them how we're voting?"

Jasmine thinks about this before responding. "No, let them figure out what they want to do themselves. Maybe then they'll realize their feelings. God knows everything we've tried hasn't helped."

DJ chuckles at this and says a simple, "Okay".

* * *

 _*Campfire Ceremony*_  
Chris and Chef are both standing by the usual podium. Unlike most Campfire Ceremonies, there are no marshmallows in sight. The TV that made an appearance in an earlier elimination ceremony is back, much to the discomfort of the losing team.

Chris begins his usual spiel. "Welcome, Brawny Beavers, to your second Campfire Ceremony!"

He says it enthusiastically, though the campers are anything but. DJ and Jasmine look angry, Eva looks anxious, while both Sky and Lighting look upset.

When no one replies, the host continues. "Now normally, I just go one-by-one and give all the safe campers a marshmallow. But I watched your confessionals, and boy do the Beavers have a _lot_ to say. So, as a special treat, I figured I'd share the good times with all of you."

All the Brawny Beaver's faces immediately dropped after hearing this. None of them were expecting all of this.

Chris turns to Chef. "Chef? Care to start the show?"

Chef chuckles and turns on the TV. After a moment of static, it begins to show the compilation of their voting confessionals.

 ***Voting Confessional- Eva***  
Eva holds up Lightning's picture.

"Sorry Lightning, but you're too unpredictable to keep around."  
 ***Voting Confessional Ends***

 ***Voting Confessional- DJ***  
DJ holds up Eva's picture .

"Look, I'm really sorry, but I'm just not as close to you as I am with the other three."  
 ***Voting Confessional Ends***

 ***Voting Confessional- Jasmine***  
Jasmine has Eva's picture in her hands.

"The only way I'm going to go far in this game is to work with people I trust. Nothing against you Eva, but I trust the other Beavers more."  
 ***Voting Confessional Ends***

Chris jumps in front of the TV before going to the next confessional. "Now I want you campers to watch closely at these next ones. We did a little mash-up."

"Oh no," Sky and Lightning both say in unison.

 ***Voting Confessional- Lightning***  
"Sky, during the dodgeball challenge I promised I would never vote for you..."  
 ***Voting Confessional Ends***

Static cuts off Lightning's confessional to move on to Sky's.

 ***Voting Confessional- Sky***  
"Lightning, you've been nothing but a great guy to me. I wish this vote was a lot easier than it actually was..."  
 ***Voting Confessional Ends***

Again, the static cuts off Sky's confessional and moves back to Lightning's.

 ***Voting Confessional- Lightning***  
Lightning takes a deep breath before continuing his speech.

"But even if we're not in an alliance like I wanted, Lightning's gonna keep his promise."  
 ***Voting Confessional Ends***

Sky's confessional goes right back to where she was previously cut off.

 ***Voting Confessional- Sky***  
"But no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't find it in me to vote for you. Eva, I'm so sorry."  
 ***Voting Confessional Ends***

Now the TV screen is split in two, with half the screen on Lightning's confessional and the other half on Sky's. In almost perfect unison, they flip over their photos to display who they voted for. They both show Eva's picture.

Chef shuts off the TV after that. Chris turns to the campers and speaks once more.

"So, in case you're bad at counting- which, given your team, I wouldn't be surprised if you are- the total score is 4 votes Eva, 1 vote Lightning. Sorry Eva, but you've been eliminated."

Eva stands up from her spot after Chris' announcement. She looks angry, but not much angrier than usual. She's quiet for awhile, and everyone's waiting for her to react. Jasmine is fully expecting to get a verbal thrashing, given her role in the vote.

But Eva doesn't so much as spare Jasmine a glance. She looks to Sky, then to Lightning, and decides to address them both.

"You two," she says as she point to both of them, "need to get your heads out of your asses."

They both look at her in confusion. "What?"

Eva continues. "Don't 'what' me. You both had the perfect opportunity to be rid of each other, and focus on your game. Yet you decided not to. It's obvious that you like each other!"

Jasmine stands up to intervene. "Eva, come on-"

"No! Listen, you two better talk out your feelings and move on with whatever you decide. We're the Brawny Beavers for a reason, act like it. Got it?"

Everyone nods.

Eva smiles so slightly they can barely tell it's there. "Good. Chris, I'm ready for the slingshot. Take me away from this crazy team."

As requested, the next scene takes the Brawny Beavers to the Slingshot of Defeat. Eva is about to be sent off, and DJ, Jasmine, Sky, and Lightning are waving by the sidelines.

No one says anything, but a sense of relief washes over them, both for Eva and her former teammates alike. Chef finally lets go of the Slingshot and Eva goes flying over the lake.

The camera pans to Chris, who gives the final thoughts of the night. "Damn, today was _intense_ , huh? Well, don't worry, it'll only get worse from here on out! Will the Beavers bounce back from tonight? Will the merge _ever_ happen? Find out next time, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"

 **•End of Episode Nine•**

* * *

 **I know, I have a lot of explaining to do. Please know that deciding this elimination was not easy in the slightest.**

 **Here is a breakdown of the votes, though you saw them already in the voting confessionals:**  
 **DJ- Eva**  
 **Eva- Lightning**  
 **Jasmine- Eva**  
 **Lightning- Eva**  
 **Sky- Eva**

* * *

 **Okay, so I'm gonna just cut to the chase and explain Eva's elimination. Part of the reason I chose her is because it is the most realistic way things would have played out. If you read my comments, you know that I loved having Eva be my voice of reason for her otherwise overzealous team. However, out of all the Brawny Beavers, her social game was the worst. She made some small connections, but it pales in comparison to the ties that other campers have made. She was smart enough to try and go after the most fragile connection (Sky and Lightning's), but it was too little, too late.**

 **Another reason for her sendoff was because, as I promised last chapter, that this is a major turning point for the Brawny Beavers. Everyone now knows where everyone stands. Sky and Lightning are a duo in this game, whether they choose to admit it or not. As Eva said, they were given the perfect opportunity to cut ties with one another and they chose not too. For Sky and Lightning, two extremely competitive people, that's serious. The pair will talk about how they feel next chapter, as Eva requested of them.**

 **As for DJ and Jasmine, I'm not done with their characters yet. Jasmine and DJ have both established good relationships with most of their team, and almost all of the other campers. To send them home in this chapter wouldn't have made any sense, especially when they're beginning to get established as power players.**

 **While this was the turning point for the Brawny Beavers, the other teams are certainly not playing second fiddle. The Brainy Beetles are the ones thinking the most about the merge. More than anyone, they're thinking on an individual basis than a team basis. Courtney is anxious to work with her alliance members, B will jump ship as fast as he can, and Scarlett is looking for pawns to take to the finals. I loved their interactions with other players in this challenge, because it highlighted their mindsets about the game.**

 **As for the Beautiful Butterflies, the stress of having the same four people on their team for so long is getting to them. Sugar is getting on everyone's nerves, and Leshawna and Lindsay can't wait to vote her out. The deciding factor here is Dawn, and she's beginning to realize that. Like several of the other campers, she's more strategy-driven this time around, and I'm loving it.**

 **The next chapter is another important one, and it has been all planned out. I can't promise that it will be as long as this one, but I'm going to do my best to give you all the best product I can.**

 **As always, please favorite, follow, and review your thoughts and suggestions, I love them all!**  
 **~VintageMadame**

* * *

 **Eliminated: Harold, Topher, Anne Maria, Justin, Shawn, Brick, Jo, Cameron, Leonard, Eva**


	11. Pahkitew Ain't Got Talent

**Finally, a new chapter! Sorry to everyone for the wait, but I wanted to make sure the plot points in this chapter were seamlessly done, as they are very important to the direction that many characters are going to go.**

 **Before you read, I have a side note. Pay attention to small details that I place in this chapter. Some confessionals, conversations, and announcements are worded very carefully to offer hints about what is to come. I'd love to hear what people's guesses are about what I mean by this.**

 **Another big thanks to all the amazing reviews and PM's I've received about this work so far. You're all so wonderful, and I hope that you continue to enjoy the work. Much love to all of you!**

* * *

 **Brainy Beetles: B, Courtney, Scarlett**

 **Brawny Beavers: DJ, Jasmine, Lightning, Sky**

 **Beautiful Butterflies: Dawn, Leshawna, Lindsay, Sugar**

* * *

 ***Last Episode Recap***  
"Last time, on Total Drama... tensions were undeniably high, and it wasn't anymore apparent than in our hide and seek challenge. The Brainy Beetles were somehow the most cooperative team, and it showed when Courtney scored them first place. The Beautiful Butterflies were a mixed bag, with Dawn and Sugar teaming up with Scarlett and Leshawna and Lindsay throwing the challenge. But if you want to see a real disaster, look no further than the Brawny Beavers. Eva went into full dictator mode, DJ and Jasmine teamed up with campers on other teams, and Lightning and Sky got real... heh... trashy. After they lost, Eva tried to turn the not-lovebirds against each other, but Jasmine saw right through the act and recruited DJ to ensure her demise. Eva's exit turned surprisingly sweet after she told Lightning and Sky to own up to their feelings. Will Sky and Lightning listen to Eva? Will Dawn listen to her head, or her heart? The answer to these questions will be revealed... right now, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"  
 ***End Recap***

* * *

The Brawny Beavers are walking down the dark path that leads to the cabins. DJ and Jasmine are leading the way, while Lightning and Sky are trailing behind. No one has said anything since they left the Slingshot of Defeat.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Eva's outburst has definitely made things... awkward for the Brawny Beavers. But she did have a point about Sky and Lightning... hopefully they can figure everything out for the sake of the team."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The four Beavers make it through the clearing and finally reach the cabins. As expected, the Beetles and Butterflies are waiting for them out front. They're all sitting in a circle together having nonchalant conversations.

Leshawna's the first to notice the Brawny Beavers' return. She nudges Lindsay first, and then Courtney, and motions for them to look in their direction. They all smile widely when they see who made it through.

"I told you they were going to vote out Eva!" Courtney tells Scarlett.

Scarlett looks at the team before her to confirm Courtney's statement. She then shrugs calmly and says, "Yes, you did. But to be fair, we've had our share of surprising eliminations this season."

Jasmine glares at the redhead. "And who did you think would be the one going home?"

Scarlett shrugs again, though the grin on her face indicates more cynical thoughts. "My guess was that your team would've wanted to either break apart Sky and Lightning, or take out a social threat. So, perhaps you. But, what's done is done."

Everyone except Courtney, Jasmine, and Sugar looks surprised at Scarlett's boldness. Courtney is unbothered by it, Jasmine is used to her brashness, and Sugar looks delighted.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"It's painfully obvious to everyone that I've been actively targeting the Brawny Beavers for weeks now. That team is filled with nothing but strong physical and social players. Since Jasmine and I will never get along, the best I can do is show everyone what a threat she is. If they're smart, they'll take advantage of it."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Jasmine decides to ignore Scarlett's response. Instead she huffs out "I'm heading to bed now," and walks promptly into her cabin.

Dawn yawns and adds in, "I am also quite tired. I think I should head to bed as well."

Leshawna nods and replies, "Go ahead, girl, get your rest. I'm gonna stay out a little longer."

Lindsay buts in with "Me too!"

B heads to his cabin quietly after that. Sugar stands up and follows Dawn inside, shouting "Dawn, wait fer' me!", much too loudly given the distance.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"What? Dawn's my only chance at safety. I gotta keep an eye on her at all times!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Scarlett turns to Courtney and says, "I'm ready to head in as well, how about you?"

Courtney smiles and replies lightheartedly, "I'm going to stay up a little longer too. But go ahead without me, you've caused enough drama for tonight."

Scarlett chuckles at that and heads in herself. Now all that's left is DJ, Leshawna, Lindsay, Courtney, Sky, and Lightning.

Lindsay chirps happily to the remaining Beavers, "Don't just stand there guys, let's hang out!"

DJ joins the other three in their now much smaller circle without so much as a second thought. Sky and Lightning are still standing awkwardly in place. Sky whispers something to Lightning, and he shakes his head 'yes' in return.

Sky turns to the four that are sitting and says matter-of-factly, "Lightning and I have to go talk about... the Campfire Ceremony. Maybe we'll join you guys later?"

DJ smiles, as he fully understands what they're implying. The other three are confused, but let them go anyway without another word.

Once the pair disappears, Leshawna turns to DJ and asks, "So... what happened at the Campfire Ceremony?"

DJ smiles and leans in. "Let me tell you, it was crazy..."

The scene cuts to Lightning and Sky, who are standing by themselves in the forest. There's an obvious awkward air between the two, as neither knows how to begin. Sky looks around to make sure no one is in sight. Finally, she takes a deep breath and begins to speak.

"So... Eva said it was obvious we liked each other."

Lightning scratches the back of his head, unsure of how to reply. He begins to ramble nervously. "Uh, yeah she did. Lightning's sorry if that made things awkward! Eva was over exaggerating, you know how she gets when she's mad and-"

Sky closes her eyes and interrupts him loudly. "Lightning! Stop! Please don't make this any more difficult than it already is."

"Huh?" Lightning questions, looking thoroughly confused.

Sky looks into Lightning's eyes sadly. It's then she realizes that the best way to proceed is to just cut to the chase. "Eva was right. I like you, and avoiding it wasn't making the competition easier for me like I thought it would."

Lightning brightens up at Sky's confession. If Sky was being honest with herself, she doesn't think she's seen him smile this much all season. "Oh. Thank god! Lightning likes you too! I didn't think we-"

Sky interrupts him once more. "But..."

"There's a 'but'? What's the 'but'?" Lightning asks quickly, his voice full of concern.

Now it's Sky's turn to look confused. "...Wait, you'll hear the 'but'?"

"Well, I will when you tell me! You're keeping the Lightning in suspense." Lightning tells her eagerly.

Sky looks like the wind got knocked out of her. When she finally notices Lightning's worried face, she composes herself and continues her explanation.

"Um, yeah. I was saying- _but_ , I think we should focus on the game still, ya know? It's probably not a good idea to even think about... er, couple stuff right now."

Lightning breathes out a sigh of relief. "Oh, yeah. That's fine! You know Lightning's all about the competition!"

Sky looks star-struck at Lightning's response. Her worried expression instantly drops from her face, and she tells Lightning happily, "I'm so glad you understand. And speaking of the competition, I have a question for you."

"Sure. You can ask the Lightning anything."

Sky asks with a big smile on her face, "Lightning, will you be in an alliance with me?"

The jock, joyous as ever, picks up Sky and twirls her around in a circle. After realizing what he'd done, he places her gently back down.

"Yeah, sure... I'd love that." Lightning responds. He is attempting to be calm, but he can't find it in him to hide the smile on his face.

The pair walk back to camp shortly afterward, and head into their respective sides of the Brawny Beaver cabin. In their daze, neither of them even notice the odd looks that Leshawna, Courtney, and Lindsay are giving them as they walk by. They both go to bed happily, the happiest they've been during the whole competition.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Man, Sky is just so sha-awesome. Lightning can't believe he has someone that cares about the game as much as he does. We're on our way to becoming a power couple! Um, ya know, as an alliance."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"That conversation couldn't have gone any better. I'm just... I'm so happy right now."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Once the pair is out of sight, Courtney, Leshawna, and Lindsay resume their attention to DJ's story. By the time the camera focuses on him, he's finishing up.

"So, yeah. That's pretty much it, I think." DJ finishes.

Lindsay's eyes go really wide. "Wow... Evelyn was like, way more chill than how she usually is."

Leshawna nods. "Amen to that, you four must've done a number on her."

Courtney adds in, "Still, getting rid of her was a smart move. Eva was way too risky to keep, especially with the merge coming up."

"You really think it's happening soon? I'm starting to think it'll never come." DJ says.

"Seriously, I don't know what we're waiting for." Lindsay tells the group.

Courtney speaks up again. "I'm sure it'll happen within the next few challenges. As long as none of us rock the boat too much, we should all be safe."

Leshawna sighs in relief. "Amen to that! Girl, I am ready to no longer be in teams. Sugar's gotten on my last nerve."

Lindsay perks up. "Yeah! I am so exited to go to the final four with you guys! It's gonna be so much fun!"

DJ chuckles. "I'm excited too. It's not going to be easy getting there though."

Courtney shakes her head in agreement. "No, it won't. But we'll definitely have the numbers' advantage going forward. I doubt anyone else has an alliance this size."

Lindsay looks upward towards the sky as she says, "Well, I can't wait to get there either way. We'll definitely be the best looking final four there ever was."

The group laughs collectively at their thoughts on what the future holds for them. Little did they know that a certain beauty queen was spying on them in the distance, listening in on their every word.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"I had to go take a leak, but once I heard all their chit-chat, I just had to listen in! And boy, am I sure glad I did! Turns out Leshawna and Lindsay made a Final Four deal with Courtney and DJ. Funny, I think they forgot to mention that to Dawn. I may just have ta' let her know."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Despite this, the next few days come and go without incident. Campers are beginning to get weary about the fact that they haven't had a challenge in a couple of days. Finally, a morning comes where they are woken up to a blaring alarm.

"You know, I almost missed that alarm... almost." Scarlett tells Courtney as she stumbles out of bed.

Courtney nods her head, though she is still clearly dazed from the rude awakening. "Same here. At least today there will probably be a challenge."

Scarlett raises one of her eyebrows questionably. "Challenge? I hypothesize that it will be an announcement about the merge."

Courtney shrugs. "Could be. But I'm still thinking we have one or two more challenges before that."

"Well, either way, don't you think it would be wise that we... stuck together?" Scarlett suggests, being very careful with how she words her statement.

Courtney tilts her head sideways. "So, what you're saying is, we vote out B if we're still in teams, and we keep an alliance if it's the merge?"

Scarlett shakes her head 'yes'.

Courtney smirks at her. "I don't see why not. We've gotten this far with this arrangement."

The former C.I.T. sticks her hand out to shake on it. The redhead meets it with her own hand and they shake on the agreement.

The camera pans to Courtney's back, and then Scarlett's. Both of them have their fingers crossed.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Courtney... she's like one of those big, ugly guard dogs people keep as house pets. She won't attack unless she feels threatened. By telling her I have her back, her focus will be elsewhere. Perfect time for me to strike, whether it's towards her, or her _actual_ alliance members."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"If we're still on teams, I wanted to get rid of B before Scarlett anyway. He's way too likable to keep if we lose; not that I'll throw the challenge or anything. But if we hit the merge, I have enough alliance members that Scarlett won't be able to touch me even if she did want to go back on her word... which I'm fully expecting her to."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Meanwhile, the mood over at the Brawny Beavers cabin is much less cynical. DJ, Jasmine, Lightning, and Sky have all been getting along incredibly well. While most of them have been enjoying the time off, Lightning's getting a little antsy.

"Woohoo! We got woken up by the alarm today! You think that means we're gonna finally have another challenge?" Lightning asks DJ.

DJ groans. "Yeah, probably, but calm down man, it's too early for this excitement."

"Sorry dude, Lightning's just amped to finally compete again!"

DJ grins menacingly at his roommate. "You mean you're excited to show off to Sky?"

Lightning blushes a little at this. "Shut up man, let's go get breakfast."

With that, DJ watches as Lightning runs out the cabin in the direction of the mess hall, only to be stopped by the aforementioned Sky. The two talk briefly before before they begin to run to their destination together.

DJ chuckles at the sight. Jasmine steps out of the cabin afterwards, and the two walk over together.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Man, the Brawny Beavers have been doing great lately! Everyone's getting along, and Sky and Lightning are definitely in a better place from where they were before. Now we just gotta start winning again so we don't mess it all up."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The Beautiful Butterflies are also walking to breakfast at this time. Sugar is running ahead of everyone so she can get to her meal faster. Once Sugar is out of sight, Lindsay interlocks her arm with Dawn's.

"Dawson! Wanna sit with Leshawna and I at breakfast today?" Lindsay asks cheerfully.

"Oh... sounds nice, Lindsay. What brought this up?" Dawn questions nervously.

"No reason! We haven't gotten to sit with you recently since Susie's been taking up all your time! Friends spend time with each other, right?" Lindsay says innocently.

Dawn looks at Lindsay questionably, but finds no signs of ill intent in her expression. The shorter blonde softly smiles and says, "Yes, they do. I'd love to sit with you, Lindsay."

Lindsay's smile grows even more, and she skips off to the dining hall, pulling Dawn with her.

 ***Confessional- Lindsay***  
"Susie's been trying to get Dawson away from me and Leshawna, and I feel bad for her! I want to show her that we're friends, since we really haven't gotten to spend time together recently. Plus, if we lose, it'll be good for her to know that Leshawna and I have her back."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"Lindsay's aura indicated that her intentions are sincere, and that she is really just trying to be a good friend. With everything I've been worried about lately, I don't know if that makes me feel better or worse."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

At the dining hall, everyone decided that it would be easiest to just sit together in a large group, given that the tables were big enough. On the side facing the door sat, from left to right, Sugar, Scarlett, Courtney, Leshawna, DJ, and Jasmine, and on the other side sat Sky, Lightning, Lindsay, Dawn, and B. Everyone was casually eating their food, talking about nothing in particular. The only one that seemed upset was Sugar, much to the delight of Leshawna and Lindsay.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Lindsay and Leshawna are tryna' keep Dawn away from me so they can get her on their side! Looks like Imma' have ta step up my game!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"So, was anyone else hoping they would've done away with that god-awful alarm by now?" Jasmine asks the group. B empathically nods at Jasmine's sentiment.

"Na, dude! Lightning's hoping that means we have another challenge today!" Lightning exclaims.

Courtney turns towards Lightning and says, "I thought that too. Scarlett thinks it means it's the merge." Scarlett nods at this, her mouth full of food.

"I hope Sarah's right!" Lindsay declares as she wordlessly passes her leftovers to Lightning. The jock receives them happily, no questions asked.

Sugar takes this as her opportunity to strike. "Why's that Lindsay? Excited to be rid of me and Dawn?"

Lindsay looks at Sugar, hurt and confused. "What? No, I-"

Courtney interrupts for her. "Sugar, for the love of all that is good and holy, shut the fuck up."

Lindsay smiles thankfully at Courtney, while Sugar just glares at her.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"There's no way I'm letting someone like Sugar make my alliance members look bad. If anyone's going to question my friends' motives, it's going to be me!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Everyone is dead silent for a few minutes, unsure of how to proceed from there. Sky attempts to break the tension by saying "Sooo... how about the weather, huh?"

Suddenly Chris' voice comes over the intercom. "Attention, Campers!"

"Oh thank god!" Sky says, relieved.

Scarlett shushes her so they can hear the rest of Chris' announcement.

"Please proceed outside to hear more about your next challenge. That's it... literally step outside, and head towards the really big stage we set up for you. I'm saying this because I question some of your intelligence levels. Anyway... Chris out!"

Scarlett, B, and Courtney all roll their eyes at this and silently stand up and walk out together. Sugar runs to catch up with them, dragging Dawn along with her before Lindsay or Leshawna can intervene. The latter two Butterflies yell at Sugar to slow down as they make their own exit. Sky and Lightning race out the door together, with DJ and Jasmine taking their time at the very end.

When they are all outside, it doesn't take much to see the giant stage and seats that are set up in the same space they had their fashion challenge. Sugar, Lightning, and Courtney all look excited at the presence of a stage. Everyone else just looks really annoyed.

Chris and Chef are both standing on the stage, motioning for the campers to meet them there. Once they're finally in front of their hosts, Chris starts to speak.

"Welcome, campers, to your latest challenge! And might I say, it's certainly going to be an... interesting afternoon for you all. But first, I have a very important announcement to make."

All of the campers faces light up at the last sentence.

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"Please be the merge, please be the merge, _please be the merge_."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris smiles sinisterly at everyone's change in expression. "I can see from your faces that you all have an idea of what I'm about to say. So, let me be the first to announce that... this will be your _last_ challenge as the Brain, Brawn, and Beauty teams."

Everyone's smiles instantly drop from their faces, much to the delight of Chris and Chef, who are howling at how disappointed they all look.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Okay, so... not the merge just yet, but it's coming up! I'm not too worried, I think I'm in a good position to make it through this week. And once the teams are dissolved, that's when the _real_ fun begins."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Once the laughter settles down, Chris continues once more. "Sorry, we couldn't resist... you just all looked way too happy to not be on teams anymore. Anyway, as for this challenge, it's quite simple. We're doing a talent show again."

"Whoopee!" Sugar exclaimed. "Finally, a chance to redeem myself!"

"Seriously, does she come with an off switch?" Courtney whispers to Scarlett.

Chris rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, Sugar. We all know you blew it last season. Moving on... like I was saying, the challenge is simple. Each team will come up with _one_ act- just one- to present to Chef and I. You can have as many or as few campers involved in it as you like. Chef and I will rank your performance on a scale of 1-10, meaning the maximum score you can receive is 20. The two teams with the highest scores will be safe tonight, and the team with the lowest score will vote off a teammate at tonight's Campfire Ceremony."

"Sounds easy enough." Sky whispers to her team members.

"Any questions?" Chris asks. "No? Good, because I wasn't going to answer them anyway. You have three hours to prepare with your team, use them wisely. Or don't, whatever. Now, begone campers!"

The three teams go off in different directions to discuss their possible talent ideas. The Brainy Beetles were the most direct in their approach.

"Courtney, you attempted to play violin for the talent show in your first season, correct?" Scarlett asks her.

Courtney slumps down at the memory. "Yeah, I tried. Bridgette accidentally ruined it before I could perform."

"Do you happen to have a new instrument with you?"

"I bought a new one a few years ago, I'm pretty sure I brought it with me... why? Do you think I should play it?"

"It would probably be our best bet for a win. All of my talents are... technologically based, and unless I'm mistaken, B would probably be the same. Am I right in assuming so, B?"

B shakes his head 'yes' to his female teammates.

Courtney takes a deep breath in and says, "Well, let's go look for the violin."

She heads towards the Brainy Beetle's cabin, B and Scarlett closely following her.

Meanwhile, the four Brawny Beavers are discussing their own strengths for the show.

"Lightning can bench-press, or- ooh! I can do like, 1,000 push ups!" Lightning suggests.

Jasmine shakes her head 'no'. "Sorry mate, but I think we need to do something a little more... artsy, you know?"

"DJ did a ribbon dance in the first season!" Sky reminds them.

DJ holds his head in his hands at the memory. "Yeah, and I blew it on the stage. What about you Sky? You did a talent show your season."

Sky blushes. "Well, yeah, but I just did a lot of burping. And I would've went home if Sugar hadn't blown it."

Just then, Courtney runs out of the Brainy Beetle cabin, proudly exclaiming how she found her violin. It's hard for the Beavers to miss the sight.

"Damn, lawyer-girl's playing her violin!" Lightning proclaims dejectedly.

"I'm guessing no one here can play an instrument?" Sky asks. Everyone shakes their heads no.

Jasmine speaks up again. "Okay, everyone. We just gotta keep calm, and think this through. So far, we have DJ's ribbon dance, and... Sky, you're a gymnast, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Okay, so how about cheerleading? We can choreograph a quick cheer that Sky and DJ do."

Lightning looks excited. "Sha-bam, great idea! Lightning's seen the cheerleaders at his school do it, we can totally win with that!"

Sky looks less convinced. "Um, are you sure? No offense, but I don't think either of us are the most... uh, peppy."

"Yes, plus it's the only idea we have. It doesn't have to be great, just better than at least one team. Lightning can help you guys with the moves, and we should come up with a cheer together." Jasmine tells them.

The other three Brawny Beavers look at each other questionably. When no other ideas come to mind, they all nod in agreement.

"Alright, let's do this." A determined DJ says.

The Beautiful Butterflies conversation is surprisingly civil, though not without ulterior motives.

"Say, Sugar," Leshawna begins, "what exactly was your talent for last season? You know, the one that got you kicked off?"

Sugar's face lights up. "Oh, girl, it was the best! I did my own Craptry, that's Country and Rap music combined, and I would'a won too had Chris opened his ears at all!"

Leshawna and Lindsay give each other an amused side glance.

"Wow, Susie." Lindsay tells her. "You know, it'd be really cool of you to like, redeem yourself. Like, do the same act, but _bigger_ and _better!_ "

Dawn looks terrified. "Wait, what-"

Sugar interjects with a howl. "Whoopee, that's a great idea there! I bet I could add in some choreography... ooh, maybe some lassos too!"

Lindsay nods her head vigorously. "Yes! Yes to... all of that."

"Wait a minute, I don't-" Dawn says, only to be interrupted once more, this time by Leshawna.

"Well, that settles that! Sugar will do her Crappy-"

" _Craptry_."

"Right, Craptry performance, and Lindsay, Dawn, and I will help out anyway we can."

"Let's do this!" Sugar wails excitedly.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"First place, here we come!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"Campfire Ceremony, here we come!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

About halfway in, the Brawny Beavers seem to be making the most progress together. They finished writing their cheer and were working on choreography. Or rather, Jasmine and Lightning were attempting to offer advice to DJ and Sky, with little success.

"DJ, I feel like you should be moving your hips more." Lightning offers.

"Man, I'm trying!" DJ whines.

Jasmine steps in and says, "Okay, maybe we should take a break from the dancing and make sure Sky can do her flips. You ready Sky?"

Sky gives a wide smile and shouts, "Ready!"

With that, DJ crouches down and allows Sky to grab onto his shoulders. When he moves upright, Sky poses for a moment before jumping off and doing several midair flips. She finally lands in a finishing pose.

"How was that?" Sky asks between heavy breaths.

Jasmine gives her a thumbs up. "That was great, Sky!"

Lightning looks blown away by it. "That. Was. Sha-Awesome! Where'd you learn all those moves? Like the flipping and stuff?"

Sky bushes at Lightning's excitement. "Oh um, I do a lot of training for gymnastics. My sister's training to be an Olympic gymnast and I want to follow in her footsteps."

"Sha-damn, that's amazing! My pops was in the NFL, I wanna play in the Super Bowl just like him!"

Sky looks genuinely impressed by this revelation. "Oh wow, that's so cool! That's funny that we both want to be like athletes in our family, huh?"

Now it's Lightning's turn to blush. "Yeah, Lightning was just thinking the same thing..."

DJ finally speaks up. "Hey, uh, guys? I'm glad we're all getting along, but we should really finish the routine."

That snaps Lightning and Sky back into reality.

"Agreed! Sorry DJ, let's pick it up from the top!" Sky announces a little too loudly.

In the distance we see the Brainy Beetles team watching the Brawny Beaver's performance. As the camera zooms in on them, Courtney is shown clutching her violin with a worried expression.

"It's going to be a close call." Courtney says dejectedly. "I don't know if me playing the violin will cut it."

Scarlett and B glance at each other as she says this. The concerned expressions on their faces indicate that they agree with her.

Scarlett begins to speak. "Well, your musical skills are the closest thing we have to a talent show-esque act. It is quite possible that someone will slip up as well. We just have to be better."

Courtney nods. "I'll continue to practice so that I don't mess up. We really have to win this one."

Suddenly, B lights up like a Christmas tree. He motions to the Brainy Beetle cabin, indicating that he will be right back. He runs off to his room without another hesitation. After a few minutes have passed he reemerges with a giant toolbox in tow. Scarlett and Courtney look confused until he rummages through it and reveals several strings of lights, cords, and cables.

Scarlett starts to get excited at the sight. Courtney clutches onto her violin more tightly, seriously concerned about its fate.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Perhaps B and I will have more to offer in this challenge than just mere moral support for Courtney."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Meanwhile, Sugar is working on her routine while Leshawna, Lindsay, and Dawn watch on. While Dawn is incredibly concerned with the direction this challenge is heading for them, Lindsay and Leshawna appear unbothered by the lack of progress being made. Dawn's suspicions only increase once she sneaks a peek at the other two teams. The Brainy Beetles are hard at work with some type of machinery, and the Brawny Beavers are collectively laughing together as they work on their cheer.

"Don't you two think we should be... adding something to the performance, at least? The other teams all seem to be actively working together." Dawn asks as she turns back towards her team.

The other two Butterflies look back at her, seemingly baffled by her comment.

"Why would you say that?" Leshawna asks back.

Dawn takes a big gulp of air before answering. "Well, the other teams are working together for their performances, and we're using a routine that's already lost once. As everything stands now, we're not going to win."

"Dawn... we're not trying to win. I thought you knew that." Leshawna tells her.

Dawn looks even more worried now. "What?! Why would we intentionally lose?"

Lindsay answers this time. "Well, don't you wanna get rid of Susie? If we do it now, none of us have to worry about her in the merge. And it's three against one, so there's no way she'll be safe!"

Dawn softens a little bit at that. "Oh... I didn't realize that was the plan."

Lindsay looks genuinely hurt at this statement. "Oh my god, I'm like, soooo sorry, I thought it was obvious! You must have been so confused!"

Dawn waves it off. "It's no big deal, Lindsay."

"Yes it is! I'm sorry Dawson, good friends tell each other stuff! You must of thought I was such a bad friend!"

Leshawna chuckles. "Lindsay, calm down, Dawn understands. You still cool with the plan, girl?"

The petite platinum blonde looks to Lindsay, then to Leshawna, and then back to Lindsay. Finally she speaks again.

"Yes, I have no problem with it."

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"Maybe Leshawna and Lindsay do have my back in this game more than I initially believed. I would like to more forward with them if I can. And if I'm being completely honest, a Sugar-less competition sounds quite peaceful."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The rest of their prep time rushes by for the campers. No one notices time is up until Chef's booming voice comes on over the intercom.

"Attention, future losers! Please proceed to the stage so that we may begin the show. And by 'please proceed', I mean ya'll better get the lead outta your shoes and get here NOW!"

All the campers do as their told and promptly rush over to the stage. There are chairs set up for teams to watch below. Front and center of these chairs is the judges table, where Chris and Chef are both sitting. They have their respective score cards in front of them.

Chris stands up from his seat and begins to talk. "I see Chef's threats got you here in record time. Good to know. Anyway, it's time for the Talent Show! You all know the rules; one-by-one each team will go, the highest score you can get is 20. Lowest score goes to the Campfire Ceremony."

There is a pause in Chris' speech where the camera turns to the teams. The Brainy Beetles and Brawny Beavers both look nervous. The Beautiful Butterflies all look excited. That is, all of them except for Dawn, who looks conflicted.

Chris' speech begins again. "Now, first team up is... the Brawny Beavers! Show us what you got!"

DJ and Sky make their way to the stage. Before they take the steps up, Jasmine hands them each two bushels of leaves.

"Pom-poms," she whispers to them.

Both of them smile as they step up to the stage. Sky announces to everyone, "Today, the Brawny Beavers will be doing a cheer."

Chris nods gently. "You two may begin."

DJ and Sky nod to each other before the begin. DJ shouts "5, 6, 7, 8!", and the two begin to chant the cheer that they wrote a few hours ago. In unison, the two cheer:

 _"Chris, Chris, he's our host!_  
 _The best one ever, we can boast!_  
 _Good looks, money, full of pride,_  
 _Don't forget Chef, always by his side!_

 _Challenges! Meals! And sharp wit too!_  
 _Is there anything those two can't do?_  
 _Don't stop them now, cause they're on a roll!_  
 _Six seasons in, and they still got soul!_

 _Gooooo Chris and Chef!"_

As they cheer together, the pair dances slightly off-beat to their choreography. They end the cheer with the flips they practiced earlier. Sky lands it perfectly, much to the delight of Jasmine and Lightning, who are screaming their support from their seats.

Once the routine ends, both Chris and Chef clap and write a number on their scorecards. Chris comments, "Nicely done. I especially enjoyed the theme of Chef and I. Anyway, here is your score."

The pair shows their cards. Chris presents a 9, while Chef shows an 8.

"Brawny Beavers, you're total score is a 17 out of a possible 20. Not too shabby. Next up, the Brainy Beetles!"

All three Brainy Beetles make their way to the stage. Courtney has her violin in hand, while Scarlett and B lug up a large machine. Once it's settled down, Scarlett attaches two of its cables to Courtney's violin. B sets up two stage lights.

Finally, Courtney announces their talent. "For our act, the Brainy Beetles present to you... the electric violin."

Many of the campers let out a "Huh?", when they hear Courtney's statement. Courtney just smirks and shouts, "Hit it, B!"

B nods and flips the switch on their machine. Immediately afterwards, Courtney begins to play on her violin. While she's playing her instrument with the utmost proficiency, it sounds more like an electric guitar.

Scarlett and B are flashing their makeshift lights to make Courtney's performance look like a full-on rock concert. The song lasts about two minutes. Everyone stands up to clap when she's done.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Okay... that was really good. Even I want them to win now, and I'm not even on their team!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chef has a tear in his eye when the camera pans to him. Chris looks less than impressed.

Chef says, "Brainy Beetles, that was beautiful. I think we all know what your score is."

The two hosts flip over their cards to reveal their scores. Chef gives them a 10, and Chris gives them a 6.

Courtney screams, "A six?! Are you fucking kidding me? That piece was perfect!"

Chris shrugs. "Meh, not really a violin kind of guy. Also, no performance is better than one that uses the fragile art of ass-kissing."

Courtney looks ready to attack the host with her rigged up violin. She's only stopped by Scarlett and B holding her back.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"And everyone thought _I_ would make the first violent attack. Well, who's laughing now?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris ignores the agitated Courtney and speaks again. "Brainy Beetles, your final score is a _carefully calculated_ 16 out of 20. Which means... congratulations, Brawny Beavers! No matter what happens, your team is safe tonight!"

The Brawny Beavers look confused by the announcement, but are excited nonetheless to be safe. They lightly cheer at their victory, careful not to be too boisterous in front of the Brainy Beetles.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Well, we ended our last challenge together with a decent score _and_ the largest team going into the merge. Should we have won? Probably not, but anything that means Scarlett loses is okay in my book."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris' announcement continues with, "Last, and probably least, the Beautiful Butterflies will present their act!"

With that, Sugar and Lindsay make their way to the stage. Lindsay has a piece of paper in her hands, while Sugar is wearing the exact same outfit she wore in the talent show last season.

Lindsay takes a deep breath to read the introduction that Sugar wrote out for her. However, Chris interrupts before Lindsay can even say a word.

"Hold up, hold up! Is this the same Crappy music act you did last season?"

Sugar replies confidently, "It's _Craptry_ , not _Crappy!_ And of course it ain't the same act! This time, there's 10% more cowbell, 20% more glitter, and it's like, 25 minutes longer, at least!"

Chris cuts the performance off immediately. "Yeah, no. I've seen this act, and there's no amount of Chris references that can salvage it. So to save time, and my eardrums... Beautiful Butterflies, I'll be seeing you at the Campfire Ceremony tonight. Congratulations Brainy Beetles, you're safe."

The Brainy Beetles all look relieved at the announcement that they're safe. Sugar looks appalled.

"What?! That's bull! Why I oughta-"

She's instantly cut off by Leshawna, who says loudly, "Well, we tried! Looks like we all got a lot to think about."

Lindsay shakes her head vigorously. "Yup, soooo much to think about! Come on ladies!"

Everyone leaves the stage shortly after this. The Brawny Beavers and Brainy Beetles are collectively relieved to know they aren't going to the Campfire Ceremony tonight.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"This was our last challenge as teams, and I'm liking my odds moving forward. I have deals with DJ, Scarlett, Leshawna, and Lindsay, and I'm not on anyone's radar as a threat. My only real opposition was Sugar, and she's good as gone tonight."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"I think I've maintained some good friendships with my competitors, but overall my gameplay has been pretty mild since Shawn left. But now that the teams are done, I'm ready to show everyone what I can _really_ do."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"I don't wanna jinx anything, but things have been going great for me so far. Once I start working directly with Courtney, Leshawna, and Lindsay, the final four is as good as ours."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning & Sky***  
"Sha-bam! Teams are done and the merge is here! Our competition better watch out, cause Lightning and Sky are going to the finale... again!" Lightning yells.

Sky giggles at his excitement. "Hopefully with better results than our previous finales."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Well, my social connections moving forward are mediocre at best. But I've been receiving votes at almost every Campfire Ceremony I've been to, and I'm still here. If there's any lesson to be learned from that, it's to never underestimate a villain."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The Beautiful Butterflies are walking back to their cabins. Sugar makes it a point to keep her distance from the other three as they walk back. Lindsay and Leshawna use this choice to their advantage to talk to Dawn.

"So, we're all set to vote for Sugar tonight?" Lindsay asks Dawn.

Dawn nods her head yes. "Of course. I think everyone will be better off without her here."

Leshawna smiles at this. "I agree. I can't wait for tonight to see her finally get what's coming to her."

The three ladies reach their cabin, and Lindsay and Leshawna go inside. As Dawn is about to go in herself, Sugar pulls her back so they can speak privately.

"Sugar! Don't pull so hard, what do you want?" The petite Butterfly asks the pageant queen.

"I'm checkin' in to see if you'll vote for Lindsay with me!" Sugar asks in a loud whisper.

"Why Lindsay?" Dawn replies, making sure to dodge the question.

"Cause she's a threat! She be winnin' challenges and being friendly with everyone! No way any one can win against her!"

Dawn looks perplexed, but determined. "I don't know if getting rid of her is best for me."

Now it's Sugar's turn to look perplexed. "And who would be best? Leshawna? Me? Girl, you won't get anywhere near that finale with both Lindsay and Leshawna in charge."

"I am perfectly capable of handling myself." Dawn throws back at her.

Sugar rolls her eyes at Dawn's attempt to be valiant. "Come on, Dawn. We gotta start thinking for ourselves. Lindsay and Leshawna are."

"Sugar, I am thinking ahead. We've been a solid team for weeks now. Why mess up a good thing when the merge is so close."

Sugar smiles menacingly, deciding now is the perfect time to go in for the kill.

"Because those two's plans at the merge don't include you."

"Why wouldn't it? We work well together." Dawn asks, her determined tone now starting to waver.

Sugar's smile just grows wider. "You know they made a final four deal with DJ and Courtney, right?"

"...What?"

"Yup, as long as those four make it to the merge, it's smooth sailing for them until the finale. I mean, you can go along with it and continue workin' with them and such... if you're good with 5th place." Sugar says happily. When Dawn doesn't say anything, she just saunters off into the cabin, knowing that the damage has been done.

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"5th place isn't good with me. Not at all."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

* * *

 _*Campfire Ceremony*_  
"Ah, the Beautiful Butterflies! It's been awhile." Chris says cheerfully. He's standing at his usual podium with Chef by his side.

Facing him are the four Beauty women. They're sitting in a straight line that goes- from left to right- Leshawna, Lindsay, Sugar, and Dawn. Dawn's the only one that looks nervous. Leshawna, Lindsay, and Sugar all appear to be as confident as ever.

Chris speaks again. "You know the drill, ladies. If you're safe, you get a marshmallow. And the first person to be safe is... Leshawna."

He tosses the marshmallow to the woman on the end, who catches it easily.

He continues with the next name, "... Dawn," who he then tosses to. Dawn catches it, but it almost looks like it hurts for her to have the marshmallow in her hand.

The camera now focuses at the bottom two, who are sitting in the center.

"Lindsay. Sugar. You're our bottom two tonight. The last time we had you here, you sent home two of your teammates after you couldn't decide between them." Chris says.

Lindsay raises her eyebrow, unsure of where this is going.

He continues his speech with, "And it appears that you haven't learned your lesson, because we, once again, have a tied vote."

"WHAT?!" Lindsay and Leshawna both yell out loud. Sugar mutters "yes" victoriously under her breath. Dawn looks ready to cry.

Chris shakes his head to acknowledge their reactions. "Yup. Lindsay and Sugar both received two votes. Luckily, this time I thought ahead, and we will solve who's going home with a tie breaker."

But Lindsay didn't hear anything after the part about receiving two votes. She turns to Dawn and says shakily. "...Dawn?"

Dawn looks up and stutters out, "I'm sorry, Lindsay... but I had to do what was best for my game."

Lindsay looks heartbroken. "But... I thought we were friends! How could you vote with Sugar, of all people? I cared about you, Sugar just wants your vote!"

Before Dawn can reply, Chris cuts in. "So, as much as I love the idea of a fight breaking out, we are on a limited schedule. So we need to figure out this tie breaker, like, now. Chef?"

Chef walks over to the campers and hands Lindsay and Sugar each a golden bell. Once he returns, Chris explains the rules.

"The tie breaker is simple. I'm going to read a statement. This statement only applies to one camper that is still in the game. The first one to ring in and give the correct name is safe, and the other goes to the Slingshot of Defeat. Got it?"

Lindsay and Sugar both say "Yes".

Chris picks up a card that he brings closer to his face. "Good. Now, here is the tiebreaker statement: Give me the name of the only camper to have never received any votes this season... that is not on the Beautiful Butterflies."

Sugar immediately rings in. "Courtney!"

Chris shakes his head no. "Nope. Courtney received a vote in her first Campfire Ceremony."

Lindsay rings in now. "TJ!"

"Oh no..." Leshawna says under her breathe. She loses all hope right there.

Chris chuckles. "Uh, yeah... not a name of a camper, Lindsay."

Sugar rings in again. "Would it be DJ?"

Chris shakes his head no again. "Again, no. DJ received votes at his team's double elimination."

Lindsay rings in again. "Star!"

Now Chris is starting to look annoyed. "Lindsay, you have to start saying the actual names of campers here."

Now Lindsay looks really confused. "What do you mean? I..."

But before she can finish her statement, Sugar rings in agains.

"Sky." The pageant queen says confidently.

Chris rolls his eyes, but shakes his head nonetheless. "Yes, finally, thank god! Sky is the only non-Beauty to have never been voted for. Congrats, Sugar; you live to annoy us all another day. Sorry Lindsay, but your time is up."

Sugar whoops in hollers in excitement, even going as far as to pull Dawn into a tight hug to celebrate. Dawn doesn't look anywhere close to celebrating. She looks devastated.

But no one looks more upset than Lindsay. Leshawna looks more pissed off than anything. After the announcement of Sugar's safety, she stands up from her spot and says defiantly, "That's not fair, Lindsay messes up everyone's names! Sky's the only one she calls Star!"

Chris shrugs, clearly disinterested. "Don't know what to tell ya. They had to give me the correct name. Lindsay didn't do that, so now she has to go."

Before Leshawna can fire back, Lindsay pulls her into a tight hug. She looks her directly in the eye and says sternly, "Remember what you told me when I was worried that Corrine would be sent home?"

Leshawna nods, chuckling slightly at how Lindsay is still getting people's names wrong.

Lindsay continues. "You told me that if she went home, we'd find a new fourth person, pick ourselves up, and continuing playing the game. Well, now that's what you have to do. Leshawna, thank you for everything. You're my best friend, and I can't wait to cheer for you, Corrine, and TJ in the finale."

Leshawna smiles, wiping away the tears forming in her eyes. "Girl, stop... you gonna make me cry on international television."

Lindsay giggles at this, and then turns to face the two adults. "I'm ready!"

The scene turns to the Slingshot of Defeat, where Lindsay is placed in, ready to be sent off.

Chris speaks up. "Well Lindsay, since I don't hate you as much as most campers... do you have any final words?"

Lindsay thinks for a moment before saying. "Leshawna, remember what I said. I'm rooting for you! Susie, I hope you get everything you deserve. And Dawson..."

Dawn looks up sadly to her former teammate, waiting to hear the rest of her message.

"I forgive you."

Dawn looks a little less sad at Lindsay's last words. After she says that, the blonde nods to Chef, who releases her flying over the lake.

Once Lindsay is out of sight, the bittersweet feelings turn to completely bitter. Leshawna turns and points to her two remaining teammates. "You two white girls are gonna pay for what you just did. When you lose the million dollars, remember this moment. Because this is when your chances of winning went down the drain."

With that, Leshawna turns to head back to their cabins, not bothering to wait for the other two. Dawn looks genuinely terrified at Leshawna's words, while Sugar looks unconvinced. After a brief pause, both lightly jog to catch up to her.

Finally, the camera pans to Chris for the final spiel of the night. "Nothing like a vague yet chilling threat to end an episode! Will Dawn regret her choice? Will the teams being dissolved make things better, or worse? Hopefully worse, but we'll know for sure next time on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"

 **•End of Episode Ten•**

* * *

 **Well... I said it was going to be a turning point, didn't I? While Lindsay's elimination clearly affects both Dawn and Leshawna's game, there are many more campers that will be affected by it. And let me tell you, some of them will be pleased, and others will be pissed.**

 **As always, here is the list of the votes this chapter:**  
 **Dawn- Lindsay**  
 **Leshawna- Sugar**  
 **Lindsay- Sugar**  
 **Sugar- Lindsay**

* * *

 **Lindsay being eliminated was a calculated move. She is easily a big threat; she alone has won two challenges for her team and is liked by pretty much everyone competing. Plus, Lindsay being gone gives Dawn and Leshawna more chance to shine. After several chapters of self doubt, Dawn has finally made her choice. Game-wise, I would say she made the right one, but she's also playing with several emotional and vengeful people that will not see it that way. As for Leshawna, she and Lindsay were a formidable pair. They held their team together, they won a lot of challenges, and they orchestrated (even if unintentionally) the first double elimination. Now it's time for Leshawna to make some moves without her partner in crime.**

 **From what I've seen in reviews and PM's, I don't think very many readers were expecting Lindsay to be eliminated at this point. I loved the alliance of her, Leshawna, Courtney, and DJ, but I couldn't in good conscious allow all four of them to make it to the merge. That would've made things way too easy for them. With Lindsay gone, their entire endgame plans have to be changed.**

 **Clearly the Beautiful Butterflies were the center of the drama this chapter, but some good things happened as well. The big one is that Sky and Lightning confessed their feelings... kind of. If anyone's confused, here's their current status** **:** **they know they like each other, but are still not together at this point. Remember how I said that Sky and Lightning would have to go through a lot before they earned their happy ending? Well, this isn't their happy ending yet. I won't reveal too much, but both characters still have a lot to work through, namely their past decisions in canon. I love both Sky and Lightning because of their imperfections, but that doesn't mean I'm going to pretend their negative plot points never happened. I promise you, they will be addressing these issues more, and soon. If you read through their confessions in the beginning of the chapter, there is a hint as to what I'm talking about.**

 **The next chapter is completely planned out. As Chris said, the Brain, Brawn, and Beauty teams will be no more. However... I'll just say be prepared to be surprised, as I chose the wording in this chapter very carefully. Please continue to leave your wonderful comments, PM's, favorites and follows. I reply to all the reviews that I can.**

 **Until next time,**  
 **~VintageMadame**

* * *

 **Eliminated: Harold, Topher, Anne Maria, Justin, Shawn, Brick, Jo, Cameron, Leonard, Eva, Lindsay**


	12. We All Scream for New Teams

**I have to start this chapter by giving a HUGE thanks to all my followers and reviewers. There have been a few chapters where I was so nervous to see how people would react (especially to the past two eliminations), but you've all been so supportive and understanding of my thought process, even if it means a likable character gets the boot at an earlier date than you would like. A big thanks to all of you, keep being this amazing!**

 **As for this chapter... well, there's a lot going on. I compared this fic to a three-act play in an earlier chapter. If that's still true, then this chapter would probably be the finale of the second act. I'll talk more about it in my Author's Notes at the end.**

* * *

 **Even though the three teams are no more, I'm still going to organize the list of remaining campers at the beginning of each chapter by their original teams. This is just for continuity sake and my own sanity.**

 **Brainy Beetles: B, Courtney, Scarlett**

 **Brawny Beavers: DJ, Jasmine, Lightning, Sky**

 **Beautiful Butterflies: Dawn, Leshawna, Sugar**

* * *

 ***Last Episode Recap***  
"Last time, on Total Drama... this episode had everything! There was romance! There was music! And of course, endless drama that concluded in a soul-crushing betrayal. Lightning and Sky finally admitted to having feelings for one another. However, they both agreed to continue focusing on the game, rather than pursue a relationship. It was really sweet, and also, really boring. The campers were excited to learn that their latest challenge, a talent show, would be their last as the Brain, Brawn, Beauty teams. The Brawny Beavers and Brainy Beetles brought their A-game to their acts, while the Beautiful Butterflies threw it by allowing Sugar to perform her crappy music. Lindsay and Leshawna were more than ready to finally send Sugar packing, but they weren't ready for Dawn to side with Sugar and vote for Lindsay. In the end, Lindsay lost the tiebreaker, and Sugar and Dawn lost all of Leshawna's respect. Will Sugar and Dawn survive the night? Will Leshawna, DJ, and Courtney's alliance survive the loss of Lindsay? All that and more will be shown now... on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"  
 ***End Recap***

* * *

Leshawna storms back towards the three cabins that they've been living in for the past few weeks. Sugar and Dawn finally catch up to her.

"Leshawna, I'm sorry I hurt you, but you have to understand that I had to do what was best for me!" Dawn shouts to her.

Sugar adds in. "Yeah, you lost, get over it!"

Finally, Leshawna stops and turns around to face the two blondes. There's a moment of silence before she looks directly at Dawn and speaks.

"You honestly think that voting for Lindsay was what was best for your game? Why, because she and I were close? Tell you what, Dawn, we're almost at camp right now. Why don't you go explain to the other teams why you voted for Lindsay. Let's see how great your choice really was for your social game."

Dawn takes a large gulp, but still silently agrees to her terms. Sugar is thankful that it's so dark out, because now no one can see her smirk.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Ya know, I work so hard to be the mastermind of this here show, and now Dawn's gettin' all the credit for betraying Lindsay! But I guess she can have it while everyone's mad at her."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The three finally make it past the clearing and approach their cabins. Like last time, everyone's chatting and relaxing in a big circle. There's a slight smile on their faces when they hear the approaching footsteps of the Beauty team. However, their smiles drop completely when they see the remaining members.

"Lindsay? But... but why?" DJ asks quietly.

"No! No more leftovers for the Lightning!" Lightning whines. Sky gives him a pat on the back to comfort him.

"What. Happened." Courtney asks, her voice full of venom. Her death stare is aimed directly at Sugar.

The gaze is broken once Leshawna speaks. "I don't know, why don't you ask Dawn."

Dawn's eyes grow wide. She says in an unsure tone, "I voted for Lindsay, because I knew I would only get so far in the game with her."

Scarlett looks thrilled to hear Dawn's choice. Jasmine, B, and Sky all nod at her words, with varying degrees of support for her decision. Lightning and DJ both look upset, and Courtney looks about as angry as Leshawna.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Believe me, on a personal level I'd much rather see Sugar go home. But... well, Lindsay and I weren't particularly close, and Sugar still being here is going to keep the target off of me. So this may be the best thing for my game. Can't really say the same for Dawn though."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Wow, I was not expecting that to happen. This really changes things up, especially since Lindsay and I were in an alliance. The most I can do now is keep as many friends around and try to vote out enemies. I guess that means Dawn has to go soon."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"As of now, I don't think there's anyone more hated on the island than Dawn, followed closely behind by Sugar. I'd like to thank both of them for taking the heat off myself. It is much appreciated."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Courtney stands up from her place to level herself with Dawn and Sugar.

"Well, you made your choice," she says to Dawn, "but now it's the merge, which means it's everyone for themselves. I'd watch my back if I were you."

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Right now, I'd love nothing more than to grab Dawn and Sugar and violently shake the stupid out of them. But, I'm trying to be a better person this time around, as difficult as they're making it for me."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Courtney heads into her cabin after her warning to Dawn. One by one, all the other campers do the same until only B and Dawn are left.

"B, do you think I made the right choice?" Dawn asks.

B shrugs.

"I don't know, I know it hurt a lot of people to see Lindsay go, but it's a game! There's no way I could've just let someone in a final four alliance make it to the merge!"

B nods in agreement.

"Sure, I get why they're mad, but Sugar voted for her too! And Scarlett's done way worse here!"

B nods in agreement once more.

"I guess they're our only choices for alliances members now, huh? At least for me."

B ponders this for a moment before shrugging again.

Dawn turns to look at him this time. "B, we're still an alliance, right?"

B nods yes without a moment's hesitation. Dawn smiles lightly and pulls him into a hug. "Good. Thank you."

B smiles back.

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"So, my choice may have burned some bridges with certain campers, but there's still a lot of people to align with. I may be down, but I'm not out."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The next week goes by painfully slow. There hasn't been a challenge all week, and people are stating to get antsy. Leshawna and Courtney refuse to talk to Sugar and Dawn, and Jasmine and Scarlett keep making snide comments at each other. Lightning and Sky go back and forth between being stuck in their own little world, and anxiously awaiting the next competition. All the while, B and DJ are stuck in the middle of it all, trying to maintain the peace.

The campers are beginning to begrudgingly get used to the excess amount of free time. Currently, Lightning, Sky, Jasmine, and B are playing water polo, while Courtney, Leshawna, Scarlett, and DJ are tanning out on the beach. Well, Leshawna and DJ are tanning. Courtney is scribbling something into a notebook, and Scarlett is drawing diagrams in the sand.

"Courtney... what are you you doing?" DJ asks cautiously.

"I'm writing out lists. With all this free time I can finally get all my thoughts on paper."

Leshawna takes a peek through her sunglasses to see her ally in action. She chuckles afterwards and says, "Girl, you need to relax. This is the break we've been needing, enjoy it."

"I am relaxing, lists help me relax. And without any challenges happening recently, I need to stay mentally sharp some other way. So, lists it is." Courtney explains, not even looking up from her notebook as she says so.

"Huh. So, what list are you working on now?" DJ asks.

Before she can answer, they are interrupted by Sugar and Dawn. Sugar plops down next to Scarlett without so much as a word to anyone. Oddly enough, Scarlett is the one that seems the most agitated by this.

Instead of following suit, Dawn timidly asks the group, "Do you mind if I sit here?"

DJ nods politely, while both Scarlett and Courtney shrug in indifference. They all look to Leshawna for her response. She looks away from the platinum blonde and bluntly says "Sure".

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"I can't stay mad at Dawn forever, especially since I understand why she did it. So, on a personal level, I don't hate her, but she's still not forgiven. On a game level, she made a direct hit on my alliance. As soon as I'm given the opportunity, she's out of here."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Look, I can understand Dawn wanting to make a game move to help herself out, but the move she made was at _my_ expense. And now, I will start a _new_ list... I'll call it, 'Reasons to take out Sugar and Dawn'... it'll be quite extensive."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

As Dawn sits down, Sugar is looking over Scarlett's shoulder to see what she's writing in the sand.

"So Scarlett... whatcha' got there? If you got's somethin' important ta remember, I reckon you should write it on paper!" Sugar offers.

Scarlett rolls her eyes. "Actually, I'm calculating the probability of scenarios within the competition, which will take a lot of revising and extensive space, so basic paper will not do. Although, I must say, the evidence I'm finding is concerning at the very least."

"Huh?" Sugar and DJ ask in unison.

Scarlett lets out a huff and explains further. "I'm trying to see how likely it is that the merge is coming, but... I'm not liking the odds as much as I would hope."

Leshawna lifts an eyebrow with curiousity. "But that wouldn't make any sense... Chris said the teams were done. The lawyers probably made them give us this break to celebrate."

"Sha-celebrate? Celebrate what?" Lightning asks from afar. He, Sky, Jasmine, and B are all coming in from the water.

Dawn shakes her head. "No celebrating. Scarlett thinks the merge isn't coming up yet."

Sky quietly gasps. "What?! But Chris said-"

Scarlett interrupts. "- I'm not saying the merge isn't happening, only that something isn't adding up. It's been a week and... nothing. You would expect they would at least have had us consolidate into two cabins, but we haven't moved yet. It's as if they're stalling too much for any big changes to happen right away."

The next reply doesn't come from a camper's mouth, but instead over the intercom.

"That's an awful lot of assumptions, isn't it Scarlett? Guess we'll find out soon. Campers, please change into clothing that isn't your bathing suits and meet us by the fire pit in 20 minutes." Chris announces.

The contestants need no more prompting after that. They all quickly go to their cabins to change and then proceed to the large fire pit. As expected, Chris and Chef are waiting for them.

Chef speaks up first. "Attention, weaklings! Line up next to your current teams! That is not a suggestion, that is an order!"

Though confused, the campers do as their told. The result is a large line with all three teams grouped together. From the left to right, the lineup is: Dawn, Sugar, Leshawna, Courtney, Scarlett, B, DJ, Jasmine, Sky, and Lightning.

Once the line is formed, Chris speaks up. "Well, campers, congratulations are in order. What started with 21 contestants has now been dwindled down to 10, meaning we are more than halfway through the competition."

With this announcement comes genuine smiles from all ten remaining campers. Despite everything they've been through, they still have a sense of accomplishment with how far they've come.

Chris continues, "And to celebrate, I have a big announcement for you all."

The smiles only grow bigger in anticipation for Chris' next words.

"Getting ready campers, for the Brains, Brawn, and Beauty teams are no more!"

Everyone begins to cheer excitedly, much to the annoyance of Chris and Chef.

"Oh thank god, finally!" Leshawna yells.

Unfortunately for them, now it's Chris and Chef's turns to be excited with Chris' next announcement.

"You will now be divided into Heroes and Villains!"

The cheering and hollering ceases with those words.

"...What?" Dawn asks in a low whisper. The confusion is written over everyone's faces. They're all used to Chris' tricks by now, but it doesn't make anyone less shocked.

"Yup, we're now in two teams instead of three." Chris explains.

"But you said last week was our final challenge before the merge!" Courtney yells at the pair.

Chris snickers at this. "Noooo... I said that was the last challenge as the Brain, Brawn, and Beauty teams. Which is true, because now we're Heroes and Villains. But just for this week."

"Huh?" DJ asks.

Chris lets out a large huff before he continues his explanation. "To spell it out for you simpletons, this is actually the last challenge before the merge. To celebrate, we will be swapping the teams around. Half of you will be on the Heroes team, and the other half will be Villains."

By this point, the air is filled with the sounds of the camper's disappointed groans and sighs. Scarlett is doing some quick calculations in her head while the rest are distracted in their aggravation.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"What do you know, my hypothesis was proven to be correct, as per usual. And considering past actions, Courtney, Sugar, and I are all guaranteed to be on the Villains Team. Getting through to the merge shouldn't be a problem with those numbers."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris speaks once more. "Alright, now Chef is going to announce both teams. After the teams are read aloud, you will join your new teammates to get ready for your next challenge.

Everyone visibly tenses up, ready to hear the team announcements. Some look nervous to hear their placement, while others already know where they're going.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"Given last season, I'll probably be a Villain. But, given Lightning's other seasons, he'll probably be a Villain too. So I guess it's not all bad!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"I don't believe I've done anything particularly villainous in my time here, so I'm assuming I'll be on the Heroes team. DJ probably will too, so that's good. But the rest are kind of a toss up. All that matters is that it works in my favor."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chef pulls out a clipboard with the list of names. After eyeing it for a moment, he begins to read from it.

"And the five campers that will be on the Heroes team are... B, DJ, Jasmine, Leshawna, and..."

Everyone holds in their breath to hear the last name.

"Sky."

Sky's name is the one that surprises everyone the most, _especially_ Sky. Well, almost everyone.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Lightning don't know why people are surprised that Sky's on the Hero team. Obviously she's a Hero, she's the nicest person left! Well, except maybe DJ, but still!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Sky, however, doesn't share Lightning's level of confidence.

"I'm a Hero? Seriously?" She asks, pleasantly surprised.

Chris shrugs at the question. "Meh, that's up for debate. To be honest, we wanted to split you and Lightning up. And there's no way that guy is going on the Heroes team."

We hear Lightning shout "Hey!", in the background. He sounds offended, but doesn't say anything to back it up. Sky looks more nervous after hearing the reasoning.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"Okay, so it's nice to hear that I'm a Hero, but not at the expense of my game. Lightning's the only one I know who will never vote for me, and now we're separated. Hopefully having two other Brawny Beavers on this team protects me."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chef clears his throat to announce the rest of the campers. "Anyway, the campers on the Villains team are... Lightning, Courtney, Sugar, Scarlett, and Dawn."

No one on the Villains team is surprised by their placement. That is, no one except for Dawn.

"Wait, I'm a Villain?! Why?" Dawn asks, genuinely confused.

Chris laughs at Dawn's naivety. "I don't know Dawn, teaming up with another villain to vote off the only person that's been nice to everyone... not a very heroic move, I must say."

"But... it wasn't meant to be malicious!" Dawn says defensively.

Chris shrugs again "Doesn't matter, we needed five villains and this is what we're going with. Now, to the villains side you go."

A dejected Dawn moves her way towards the spot where all the villains are standing. Sugar gives her a hard smack on the back.

"Don't cha' worry Dawn, we're gonna kick booty at this here challenge! Just you wait and see!"

Before Dawn can reply, Chris begins to speak again. "Well campers, I present to you, for this week and this week only, the Heroes and Villain teams!"

The Heroes all look genuinely happy with their lineup, while the Villains look aggravated, particularly Courtney and Lightning.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Honestly, I'm liking this team right now. I think we have a real chance at winning. Hopefully Courtney will be okay on the other team."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Man, this sucks! I'm the only dude, and the only Brawny Beaver! Lightning's gotta figure something out, and quick!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"What do I think of this team? Well, I don't like Dawn, I hate Sugar, and Scarlett's... Scarlett. So by default, Lightning's going to be my closest ally this week, whether he likes it or not. It's not like he has many other options."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

After a few minutes of silence, Chris proclaims, "Yeah, not the dramatic responses I was expecting. But, no matter... let's make way to the location of your latest challenge."

The campers do as their told without much complaint. Some campers are using the time to further analyze their new team.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Have you ever seen one of these shows? 'Heroes' is just a nice way to label players who are too weak to do anything ruthless. And our Villains team is nothing but ruthless. Except for Dawn, but she'll come around. Needless to say, our victory is basically guaranteed."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"Honestly? This team's not too bad. I'm cool with Jasmine and Sky, and DJ's one of my closest allies. B may be Dawn's friend, but he's great in challenges, so I might as well give him the benefit of the doubt."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

When the campers arrive, they are met with a short, but sturdy balance beam that's attached between two giant trees about 20 feet off the ground. It's a very simple set up for the challenge, so campers are naturally confused.

"Soooo... this is our challenge?" DJ asks.

Chris nods his head enthusiastically. "Yep! Since we spent so much time dividing up teams, we figured it made sense to have a simpler challenge. Basically, Invincibility will be awarded to whoever can stay standing on the balance beam the longest."

Courtney raises her hand.

"Yes, Courtney?" Chris answers.

"Did you guys spend all week setting up a simple balance beam? Is that really why we waited so long for the challenge?"

Chris shrugs sheepishly. "Ehhh, kinda? We had a few mishaps with safety regulations, which we legally now have to care about. But you can't deny that it helped build up the suspense."

Now Scarlett raises her hand.

"Ugh, yes Scarlett?" The annoyed hosts inquires.

The redhead points towards the aforementioned beam. "How do you expect all ten of us to stand on that thing? By the looks of it, I'd say it can barely hold a single team."

Now Chris and Chef are really laughing, knowing full well that they've been withholding the final detail about the challenge in.

Chris finally speaks again after settling down from his laughing fit. "Oh, did we forget to mention? Your teammates won't be who you're competing with, they're who you're competing _against_."

"What?!" Everyone shouts in unison.

"Yup, we'll run this challenge twice, first with the Heroes, and then with the Villains. Last camper standing in each round wins Invincibility. Afterwards, each team will go to the Campfire Ceremony to vote someone out, meaning _two_ people will be going home tonight."

"Man, how many double eliminations are you gonna have this season?!" DJ asks.

"As many as we damn well please!" Chris answers. "Enough with the unnecessary questions! Heroes, get up on the balance beam!"

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Wow, another double elimination... things just got way more intense now. My initial instinct is to fight my hardest for Invincibility, but I may want to let someone else win it to gain some trust with the competitors. I need to play smarter, not harder."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"If Dawn hadn't changed her vote, Lindsay would still be here and Sugar would be the one gone. But if she wants to mess with my game, I'll have to mess with hers."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

After the confessional turns to static, the next thing viewers see is the five Hero campers standing on the wooden balance beam. In order, the lineup is Sky, B, DJ, Jasmine, and Leshawna. The Villains team is watching from below, waiting for their turn.

Once they're all settled in, Chris begins to speak from the megaphone. "Alright campers, it's quiet simple- stay on the balance beam longer than the other four. No sitting, no hanging onto branches... just good ole' standing. And, Part One of this challenge begins... now!"

With that, the five campers' have a determined look on their face. Sky stares up in the trees in order to maintain her focus. B looks incredibly nervous, knowing full well that his game is on the line if he doesn't win. His eyes are shut closed in order to block out all distractions around him. DJ appears to be thinking intensely about something, if the scrunched up look on his face is any indication.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Okay, so I'm about 90% sure that there is no possible way I'm getting voted off tonight. If I can turn that into 100%, then there's no point of tiring myself out over a challenge I don't need to win."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Psst" DJ mutters out to Jasmine and Leshawna, quickly getting their attention.

"What?" Jasmine asks in a quiet tone.

DJ discreetly points to B next to him. He mouths "voting for," hoping that they both understand what he's trying to tell them without saying anything out loud.

Jasmine and Leshawna look to each other and then back to DJ, nodding in agreement. Leshawna then whispers to Jasmine, "What if he wins?", which Jasmine then whispers to DJ.

At that moment, Lightning shouts from below, "Come on, Sky! You got this girl! Lightning knows you can do it!"

Sky chuckles in reply and shouts down, "Thanks Lightning, but I need to focus right now, okay?"

Lightning shouts back, "Sha-got it!"

Jasmine and Leshawna look at each other after this, knowing full well the answer that is on their minds. Leshawna whispers "Sky," into Jasmine's ear, who again relays the message to DJ. This time, she adds to the message.

"If B wins, vote for Sky. We need to split her and Lightning up." She whispers to DJ. DJ nods, but looks nervous at the implication.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"So now I'm almost positive there's no chance of me going home. However, if B wins invincibility, that means I'll probably vote for Sky, which will make Lightning angry. So I'll stay on the balance beam until B loses, or if something scary happens."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"Since I can't vote off Dawn this week, I gotta do the next best thing and get rid of B. So he _better_ not win invincibility, because I'm getting my revenge one way or another."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Down below, the Villain campers are watching the uneventful challenge go by. Scarlett is standing by herself, focusing intensely on the campers above her. Sugar and Dawn are on one side, whispering in private. On the other side, Lightning has ceased cheering for Sky out loud, but Courtney and him are still discussing their predictions for the challenge.

"I'm still saying Jasmine's got this in the bag. No way any of them are going to outlast her." Courtney tells him.

"Uh-uh. Sky's a gymnast, she's used to this stuff and she loves competing! She'll win for sure!" Lightning insists.

Courtney smiles when she sees the look of admiration on his face. "You really like her, don't you?"

Lightning snaps back to reality and stumbles over his words. "What? I mean, yeah, she's great and all... like as a teammate, and a competitor, and... Lightning's just got a lot of feelings right now."

"Have you told her exactly how you feel?" Courtney asks him.

Lightning shakes his head no. "She knows I like her but... not how much. I'm not gonna do anything during the competition, though. We're both here to win."

Courtney nods. "Honestly... I'd say that's a smart move. Take it from someone who knows, relationships and game do not mix."

Lightning smiles at this. "Psh, yeah... I'm glad Sky and I both feel that way. You know, you're the first person to agree with us about it. Everyone else says we should pour out our feelings and stuff."

Courtney shrugs. "I know from personal experience. But Lightning? Just... make sure she knows that she does _matter_ to you, even if you're not together. I... I just wish I did that."

Lightning nods, deep in thought about what she just told him.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Man, Courtney can get sha-deep sometimes! I guess she gave the Lightning some stuff to think about, but hopefully this means we can help each other out now!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"What? I can have heartfelt moments too, damn it! Lightning's a potential ally, of course I'm going to try and help him. And no, I will not tell you who I was referring to in that last sentence. He's not here, so it doesn't matter!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Courtney speaks up to Lightning again. "You know... I'm no Sky, but we _are_ on the same team this week. We should vote together, no matter what happens."

Lightning looks more excited now. "Sha-yeah! Lightning likes the sound of that! After _I_ win Invincibility, of course!"

Courtney pokes her pointer finger right into his chest. "Ha! That's what _you_ think, but keep dreaming!"

Before Lightning can reply, Dawn makes a coughing noise to announce her presence.

"What do you want?" Courtney asks bitterly.

Dawn looks more nervous, but continues with her purpose nonetheless. "Well Courtney, I was hoping I could speak to you in private for a moment."

Courtney looks to Lightning, who responds with an indifferent shrug. She replies with a curt "Fine," before heading off wth Dawn.

When they're out of Lightning's earshot, Courtney asks again, "Well, Dawn, what do you want?"

"I wanted to talk to you about the vote. Sugar and I both think it's best if we vote for Lightning, assuming he doesn't win Invincibility.

"And why would I ever vote with you and Sugar?" Courtney says with a glare in her eyes.

"Well, you don't have to. But Lightning is a threat, and it makes sense to get rid of him as soon as possible. Sugar's trying to convince Scarlett of the same thing right now."

She points over to the two Villains, and sure enough, Sugar's yapping away to Scarlett, who looks visibly annoyed.

An unimpressed Courtney merely replies, "I'll think about it, that's all I can offer. I won't make any promises until after the challenge is over."

She turns away and walks back towards Lightning before Dawn can respond back.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Of course it's difficult for me to trust Dawn. I mean, come on, she sided with Sugar- on purpose. Lightning, on the other hand, is all by himself on this team, meaning he'll probably go along with any plan that doesn't involve him getting eliminated."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"Well, that could've gone better."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Dawn walks back to Sugar and Scarlett to repeat what Courtney told her. When she's done speaking, Scarlett seems indifferent, while Sugar looks more agitated than usual.

"That damn Courtney! Gettin' way too big for her britches there. I say that if _she_ doesn't win Invincibility, that we vote for her next instead! That'll show her!" Sugar declares.

Dawn ponders this for a moment before replying, "You know, that's not a horrible idea. Courtney is a valiant competitor and is much more ruthless and intelligent than Lightning. Maybe she should go next."

Sugar jumps triumphantly. "Woo-wee! Sounds good to me! Whaddya think, Scarlett!"

Scarlett shrugs with indifference, attempting to hide her discontent.

"If that's what's best, then why not?" The red head says.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Courtney is still a valuable ally, and Sugar is basically an extra vote for me. I can't have Sugar and Dawn talking nonsense about blindsiding Courtney. If they continue to do so, I'll have to make sure she wins Invincibility."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

About an hour has gone by of the first challenge, and all five of the Heroes are still standing on the balance beam. With nothing else going on, everyone is incredibly bored as a result.

"Ugh, this is so boring! Do somethin' entertaining for Christ's sake!" Sugar yells.

Chris makes a loud sigh and says, "You know, I hate to agree with Sugar, but this is getting really boring. I'd say it's time to intervene. Chef, you know what to do."

Chef gives the camera a sinister chuckle and smirk. He heads over to their beloved golf cart and pulls out what appears to be five t-shirt guns. However, instead of T-Shirts, it has tomatoes lodged inside.

"Um... what is that?" Leshawna yells from above.

Chris smiles as Chef hands each Villain camper a blaster. "These are our tomato cannons. Since the Heroes are taking wayyy too long, the Villains are going to help you speed up the process. There are five tomatoes in each cannon. You can shoot them at any camper you like, in hopes that they fall down. Got it?"

"Wait! I'm heading down, forget this!" DJ yells. The gentle giant doesn't hesistate any further and jumps quickly off the balance beam.

"Finally, we have a Hero down! DJ's out and ineligible for Invincibility. Four more campers to go!" Chris announces.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"I said I was gonna stay on until either B went down or something scary happened. Villains armed with tomato guns certainly fall into the latter category."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Courtney raises her hand and asks. "Do we still get to shoot these tomatoes at the Heroes?"

Chris laughs. "Of course, please go on."

Then, without hesitation, Courtney fires her tomatoes straight for B, all five being a direct hit. B begins to wobble from them. He almost regains his balance until he's hit by another five tomatoes, courtesy of Lightning. He falls quickly after that.

"B is out! Three campers left!" Chris yells.

Courtney and Lightning give each other a high five.

"Nice hit." Courtney tells him.

"Sha-thanks!" The jock replies.

Dawn goes over to B to make sure he's alright. When he assures her that he's fine, an aggravated Dawn aims her gun unexpectedly at Sky. She gets hit, but doesn't fall.

"Hey! Watch it Dawn- ah!" Sky yells before getting hit again, this time by Sugar. The surprise hit startles her enough that she's the next to fall.

Chris announces, "Sky's out! Now it's all down to Jasmine and Leshawna!"

Chef turns to Chris and tells him, "I told you the tomato guns were a good idea."

Chris nods in agreement. "That you did my friend, that you did."

Scarlett is the only one not to have fired her cannon, much to the surprise of everyone. She continues to stare up, deciding in her mind what her next move should be.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"I'd like for this challenge to go by with as little interference from me as possible. Neither remaining contestant is in danger of going home, and winning will only expose them as a challenge threat. I'm sure I'll get another chance to throw things at Jasmine, so it's no bother."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Up on the beam, Jasmine and Leshawna are quiet for a few moments before Jasmine speaks up.

"Do you want Invincibility?" Jasmine asks.

"Um, obviously I do." Leshawna responds.

"Good. Now that Sky and B are out, you can have it." Jasmine tells her.

Now Leshawna looks very confused. "Seriously? Um, any particular reason for that?"

Jasmine looks down quickly and then replies, "I want to build some trust with you, and I believe we're both safe tonight. But... I'm not sure which is the better choice to send home."

"You mean Sky or B?"

Jasmine nods. "Yes... so if I jump, just promise me we'll vote together no matter what."

Leshawna nods. "Yeah, sure girl, whatever you want."

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"The first half of this game, I was all about goofing off and having fun with my team. But now it's every man and woman for themselves, and I need to start thinking about what's going to keep me around longer. Which means I need to step up my strategic game."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Jasmine smiles at her and jumps from the balance beam quickly after. A moment later, Chris' voice is over the intercom.

"Jasmine is out, which means... congratulations to Leshawna, you have won Invincibility! Now get down here so we can begin Part Two please."

Leshawna does as she's told with a huge smile on her face. Everyone gives her words of congratulations and pats on the back.

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"As if I was gonna pass up Jasmine's offer for Invincibility! But she's worrying me with her talk about getting rid of Sky. B has to go home tonight, no matter what!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

As the confessional fades out, we now see the Villains team standing on the balance beam. Their lineup is Dawn, Sugar, Scarlett, Courtney, and Lightning.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Right now, I have two goals. One, win Invincibility. Two, make sure _both_ eliminations work in my favor."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris announces that their challenge has begun, and the Villains begin to wait it out. Lightning whispers something to Courtney, who laughs a tad louder than intended.

"Somethin' you wanna share with everyone, Courtney?" Sugar asks aloud.

Courtney lets out a low growl and throws back. "As usual, Sugar, it's none of your fucking business."

Sugar 'tsks' at her and says, "Be nice Courtney... after all, there's very few people we can vote for tonight."

"Yup, and I can't wait until it's your sorry ass going home." Courtney replies.

Dawn says quietly, "I don't think this is doing anyone any good. Please everyone, settle down."

Both women are begrudgingly quiet after this. Scarlett, however, looks happier than ever, as if she's finally solved the last piece of the puzzle.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Courtney and Sugar can't stand each other. Which means that their only connection is their alliance with me. Therefore, they'll never team up to vote me out. I think I just found my perfect Final 3."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Down below, Chef is handing out the Heroes the now reloaded tomato guns.

"Yeah, there's no way we're waiting another hour for this challenge to end," Chris tells everyone. "Heroes, fire when you see fit!"

B pushes his cannon to the side, indicating that he wasn't going to fire at any of the remaining campers. All of the other Heroes fire, without hesitation at either Dawn or Sugar. By the time all four of them are out of ammo, both girls are on the ground.

Chris and Chef laugh hysterically at what just transpired.

"Man, that was _brutal_!" Chef hollers.

Chris chuckles back, "Dude, I know! Man, that was great! Well, Dawn and Sugar are both out, meaning it's between Scarlett, Courtney, and Lightning!"

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"After analyzing all possible scenarios in order of probability, the best outcome would be to allow Courtney to win Invincibility. That way I don't have to choose between allies. Now only Lightning remains in my way. I'm sure we can work something out."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The three remaining Villains look questionably at each other. Finally, Scarlett speaks.

"Funny, Sugar and Dawn have been talking about nothing but voting for one of you today, and yet they are first two out. Quite ironic, really."

Courtney and Lightning give each other a glance that is full of worry.

"Um... yeah... it'd be nice to win, ya know?" Lightning says worriedly.

Scarlett speaks up again. "You know Lightning, it does concern me to allow you to win Invincibility. I certainly don't want to put our shared ally of Courtney at risk. It could be too tempting for you to vote for her, especially knowing that you're at no risk for going home."

"Huh?" Lightning asks.

"I think she's saying that you two should throw the challenge to me." Courtney tells him.

Scarlett explains further, "Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. I believe it will build trust between all three of us."

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Yeah, I'm very confused as to where this is going. But, if it means I win Invincibility, then they can agree on whatever they want."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"No... Lightning would rather win the challenge." Lightning tells the two women.

"Are you sure about that? Making a deal means that we trust each other, even for future challenges. If you want to get far in this game, you'll need more allies than Sky." Scarlett tells him.

An uneasy Lightning takes a deep breath and says, "Lightning's listening... what's your offer?"

"On the count of three, you and I will both jump off the balance beam, which means Courtney will win Invincibility. Then, we all vote for Dawn at tonight's Campfire Ceremony."

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"So, on any other occasion, there's no way the Lightning would even consider throwing a challenge! But Pops did say I should play smarter this time around... and if it means more allies for me and Sky... I think I'm gonna have to swallow my pride."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Lightning takes a big gulp and finally replies with, "Okay."

Scarlett and Courtney are both surprised by his reaction, but neither asks if he really means it.

"Alright. Courtney, do you mind counting to three?" Scarlett replies.

Courtney nods silently and does as was asked of her. She counts to three, and both campers jump off the balance beam together. Everyone is silent from the shock as they land on the ground. Chris' voice comes on the intercom one more.

"Um... well, that was unexpected. But anyway, congratulations to Courtney for winning Invincibility! You, as well as Leshawna, are safe from your respective Campfire Ceremonies! I will see both sets of campers tonight, where two of you will be going home. Give your vote some thought, Chris out!"

Courtney gets off the balance beam and is greeted with warm congratulations from almost everyone. Sugar and Dawn, clearly upset, pull Scarlett away from the celebration to talk.

"Scarlett, what in the lord's name was that!?" Sugar yells.

"What do you mean?" Scarlett replies politely.

"It just seems like you threw the challenge to Courtney." Dawn explains.

"Oh, I most certainly did. But, I convinced Lightning to drop too, which means we can vote for him tonight."

"But we wanted to vote for Courtney!" Sugar whines.

"Well, now you can't. But I don't understand why you would possibly want to vote for her over Lightning. He's physically stronger and more likely to win challenges. Courtney's strong, but she's her own worse enemy. Quite easy to take out whenever we like." Scarlett analyzes.

"I guess that is true." Dawn concludes.

"Of course it is. Trust me, this is for the best." Scarlett tells them. She walks promptly back to her cabin before they can say anything else.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"There are benefits to voting for Dawn and Lightning. Getting rid of Dawn would be the more popular choice at the moment. But, if I go back on my word and vote off Lightning, then there's a physical threat I no longer have to worry about. I guess we shall see."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

As everyone disperses, Sky also pulls Lightning aside to speak privately.

"Lightning, you threw the challenge, didn't you?" She more so tells him than asks him.

A guilty looking Lightning defensively says, "Okay, I did... but I had to! Scarlett and Courtney promised to vote for Dawn with me. This means we have more allies! This could help us further in the game!"

About a million things run through Sky's head. She wants to yell at him, she wants to explain why Scarlett is not someone to rely on, or Courtney, for that matter. She wants to say how heartbroken she is about how this may very well may be their last night competing together. But she decides to say none of it.

Instead, she just takes a deep breath and says, "Well, what's done is done. Let's head to the cabins before people start to worry."

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"So, Lightning threw the challenge to Courtney, because Scarlett, of all people, promised not to vote for him. I'm gonna try and enjoy the last few hours I have with him."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

As the pair head back, they catch the sight of Jasmine, who eyes them sadly. Currently, her head is struggling with what she should do at tonight's vote.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Okay, so the obvious person to vote off this week is B, since his closest alliance member can't save him. But Lightning and Sky are going to be a threatening alliance moving forward... it might be smart to spilt them up while we can."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

DJ runs up to Jasmine while she's deep in thought. When she snaps back into reality, she sees that Courtney and Leshawna are right behind him.

"B's voting for Sky tonight, I asked him." DJ tells him.

Jasmine looks down and sullenly replies. "You know, I'm starting to believe that's not the worst idea."

Now Courtney looks worried. "Wait, why would you vote for Sky?"

"Her and Lightning as a pair will be bad news. They're way too strong together. If we vote her off, Lightning's loyalties will shift to us." Jasmine explains.

Leshawna shakes her head no and adds in. "It's way too early to be thinking about all that. Obviously, I want to get rid of B because of what happened with Dawn and Lindsay. But B and Dawn will never side with us now, they already think we're too dangerous."

DJ buts in with, "Yeah, plus, _Scarlett's_ the deciding vote between Dawn and Lightning. No offense, Courtney, but do you really think she'll vote to keep Lightning?"

Courtney looks to the ground and mutters out. "Honestly, I wouldn't put it past her to vote him out. There's still a chance it may be him going home."

"So basically we're taking a risk with our choice either way." Jasmine says, rather annoyed.

Courtney faces the three Heroes again and declares bluntly. "Well, I can't vote with your team, so the decision is up to you three. I don't even know how my own team's vote is going to go, so you can't base your vote off of that. You just have to ask yourselves which is better for you; keeping B and Dawn together, or Sky and Lightning?"

Jasmine, Leshawna, and DJ look around at each other. No words are spoken at first, but there's no need. They already know the answer.

* * *

 _*Campfire Ceremony*_  
"Welcome, Heroes and Villains, to our last Campfire Ceremony before the merge!" Chris announces to everyone.

The Heroes are on the right side, and the Villains are on the left. Most of the campers look scared for the outcome. Scarlett, being the deciding vote for her team, is the only one that is completely comfortable.

Chris continues with, "So, it'll take wayyy to long to do two entirely separate ceremonies, so here's what I'll do: I'll say all the campers names that are not in the bottom two of either team. Then I'll announce who's going home from there. Sound good?"

The campers nod collectively, but they know fully well that their opinion doesn't matter anyway.

Chris smiles at their agreement. "Okay, good! Now, the campers safe on the Heroes team are... Jasmine, Leshawna, and DJ."

He tosses the marshmallows to each of them, who catch them easily.

Chris speaks again. "And those safe from the Villains team are... Scarlett, Courtney, and Sugar."

Scarlett and Courtney catch their marshmallows normally, while Sugar catches hers with her mouth.

The camera now focuses on the bottom two of each team. All four campers made sure to sit next to their closest allies, fully aware of the likelihood that one or both of them may be sent home.

"B and Sky, Dawn and Lightning, you are the bottom two of each team. Dawn, you made a risky move last week that has not worked well for you so far. B, you seem to be guilty by association. Sky and Lightning, it's hard not to notice how close you two are, and it's even harder not to notice how you two are physical threats. But you knew all that, so I'll move on. And the two campers going home tonight are..."

The normal dramatic music plays in the background. Dawn grabs onto B's hand out of worry, which surprises B. Lightning grabs onto Sky's hand much tighter than he anticipated, much to the discomfort of Sky. She's too nervous to say anything about it.

Finally, Chris says the names of the two eliminated campers.

"B and Dawn."

B and Dawn both nod in acceptance of the results. Lightning pulls Sky into a tight hug after they receive their marshmallows, which surprises Sky for a moment.

DJ, Leshawna, and Jasmine all have mixed feelings about the results. Sugar looks confused, and is counting on her fingers, trying to figure out what happened. Courtney looks incredibly happy with the vote, as does Scarlett.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Let's see, I could have voted for Lightning and broken up a clearly fragile duo, or I could vote out Dawn, ensuring that Sugar is solely dependent on me. The choice was obvious. Sometimes, the most shocking thing a villain can do is keep their promise."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

B and Dawn stand up from their place together. Dawn turns to all of them and speaks out.

"I understand your choice and I am sorry to those I have hurt while I was here. Please know that I never intended to intentionally hurt anyone."

Everyone seems to accept this answer, which leads Dawn and B to give their round of hugs and goodbyes. The last two people Dawn reaches are Courtney and Leshawna.

Courtney gives her a light hug and whispers "No hard feelings," to her, to which Dawn replies "of course not."

Leshawna approaches Dawn, much to the latter's worry. She is surprised, though, when the dark skinned girl gives her a tight hug and a genuine smile; a silent indicator that all is forgiven. She then tells the blond girl in a lighthearted tone, "Now we're even."

Dawn smiles an accepts Leshawna's goodbye, feeling much better knowing that there is no more ill will towards anyone.

Finally, Dawn pulls B into a hug and says to him, "You know B, it's sad we got eliminated, but I'm more than happy to be leaving the game with you."

B blushes slightly and shakes his head yes in reply.

Finally, Chris tells them, "Alright, that's enough heartfelt crap. B, Dawn, you know the drill."

The pair look at each other with a slightly more worried expression.

The camera now shows the Slingshot of Defeat, this time with Chef holding B and Dawn in its pocket.

"Well, any last words? I guess that's just a question for Dawn." Chris asks.

Dawn turns to the remaining campers and says, "Even if it didn't work out, I don't regret my choices. I hope to one day prove to you that I am a strong player."

"Hm, that day may come sooner than you think." Chris mumbles to the camera.

"What?" A shocked Dawn says.

But Chris ignores them and instead says, "Chef, release the losers!"

Chef does just that, leaving B and Dawn to the same fate as the previously eliminated campers.

Chris focuses his attention on the eight remaining campers and makes his final announcement to them of the night.

"And now that we're down two more players, I can officially announce that all teams are dissolved! We have merged!"

As the campers are all celebrating the event they've been waiting so long for, Chris directs the camera to focus on him so he can close the episode.

"How will the campers fare now that it's everyone for themselves? What more can I possibly throw their way? Well get ready, cause next episode is a blast from the past, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"

 **•End of Episode Eleven•**

* * *

 **So... we have our third double elimination of the book. This was probably not expected, and especially not with Dawn, as she just recently made her big move.**

 **What did you all think of the Heroes and Villains twist? While it was only for this chapter, I figured it'd still be handy to have a full list of the Heroes and Villains teams. Next chapter, the merge WILL be in full effect, meaning no more teams of any kind!**

 **Heroes: B, DJ, Jasmine, Leshawna, Sky**

 **Villains: Courtney, Dawn, Lightning, Scarlett, Sugar**

 **Figuring out the lineup for each team was a little difficult at first. Originally I was going to have Sky and Dawn switch roles, but the team dynamics didn't feel right. Once I decided the manner of Lindsay's elimination, I figured it made sense for Dawn to be on the Villains team, even if she doesn't really deserve it.**

* * *

 **And as always, here is the voting lineup for this chapter. Since it was separate votes, I listed it by teams.**  
 **Heroes:**  
 **B- Sky**  
 **DJ- B**  
 **Jasmine- B**  
 **Leshawna- B**  
 **Sky- B**

 **Villains:**  
 **Courtney- Dawn**  
 **Dawn- Lightning**  
 **Lightning- Dawn**  
 **Scarlett- Dawn**  
 **Sugar- Lightning**

* * *

 **B and Dawn's eliminations make more sense once you see how the rest of this series plays out. Unfortunately, I can't give away too much of what that means, so I'll explain as much as I can with the information you already know.**

 **First off, Dawn made a huge move last week by helping get rid of Lindsay. While it was smart to target the largest alliance, I would argue that it was a mistake at that** ** _particular_** **time. Everyone believed a merge was coming up, so by eliminating Lindsay, at least three of the people in that merge were going to be pissed at her. Throw in the fact that two of those people are Leshawna and Courtney, who are known to be spiteful... she definitely wasn't in the most secure position. Sometimes, big moves don't work out, especially with people like Dawn that don't want to be in that Villain position. She truly thought she was doing what was best for her, but she just didn't get to prove herself in this chapter.**

 **As for B, I took him out for two reasons. One, because he was Dawn's closest friend, so it would make sense that he would be targeted at this time. Two, he was the last background character I had left in the game. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely adore B, but his purpose was more so to help others than be a protagonist/antagonist himself. He helped the Beetles win a lot of challenges, he comforted Dawn when she was down, and he was the last surviving male of the Brainy Beetles. Hey, given that his other team members were Scarlett and Courtney, I would say that's a pretty great accomplishment. But everyone left in the story has some type of storyline that needs to be worked on, and I wasn't ready to let go of any of them yet.**

 **That being said, there's going to be a change in pace moving forward in terms of character development. As the number's dwindle, I now have more time to dedicate to characters' deeper flaws/insecurities.**

 **Speaking of which, there was a lot going on with the other campers. One reason I liked the idea of dividing up the teams was because it encouraged interactions between campers that haven't really talked. The main one would probably be Lightning and Courtney, who I can totally see bonding over being competitive and villainous. Once I decided on the Villains team lineup, I ran with the idea of those two working together, eventually pulling in Scarlett as the deciding vote. It made sense to me that Scarlett would be the one to convince Lightning to throw a challenge for Courtney. Lightning was attempting to make a smart move, even though it was misguided. Basically, he got incredibly lucky that Scarlett didn't turn on him.**

 **I thought a lot about Scarlett as a character while writing, trying to figure out what could possibly lead her to vote for Dawn over Lightning. Then I realized that Scarlett is all about control. She loves being the one in power, and now that she's decided on her ideal final three, she's not going to want Dawn around. She wants Sugar and Courtney to eventually be her pawns in the game. This will be tricky for her, since Courtney has more allies than Sugar.**

 **As for the Heroes, they have a lot on their minds. If that last conversation was any indication, then Jasmine is basically DJ, Leshawna, and Courtney's new "fourth person" in their alliance. However, that's not entirely true. Although she ended up voting for B, Jasmine was seriously considering turning on Sky and separating her and Lightning, a pair that she help get together. It's a bit hypocritical of her, but Jasmine is slowly separating the game from the personal. She wants Sky and Lightning to be together and be happy, just like she wants DJ, Leshawna, and Courtney to get far, but she also wants to win. As of now, she has no allegiances to any one person or group, unlike Lindsay, who was dedicated to her alliance. Jasmine will vote with them while it's convenient, but she isn't sacrificing her game for them either.**

 **DJ and Sky had much smaller parts this chapter, but that doesn't mean I'm giving up on them. Sky's got a few big moments coming up, and there wasn't much she could do if the Heroes voted for her. Because of this, I didn't see a reason to force her into this chapter when it wasn't needed. As for DJ, I would argue that as of now he's in the best position of the game. He has the best connections and hasn't been on anyone's radar to get voted off. So for this chapter, he took a back seat while everyone else figured themselves out. He didn't need to win Invincibility, and winning it might have made him a bigger threat than need be. Next chapter may or may not have some good DJ moments to look forward to.**

 **I am SO excited for this next chapter, it will be arguably one of the most dramatic ones of the whole book. This is one of the "special" chapters I mentioned previously in the notes of "The Devil You Sew." There will be loads of character development, some surprise appearances, and a shocking elimination.**

 **A lot of the dialogue is written, but it's going to take me awhile to construct everything. Please continue to be the wonderful readers you are with your amazing follows, favorites, comments, and PM's. You're all so great and patient, I'm so lucky!**

 **Sincerely,**  
 **VintageMadame**

* * *

 **Eliminated: Harold, Topher, Anne Maria, Justin, Shawn, Brick, Jo, Cameron, Leonard, Eva, Lindsay, B, Dawn**


	13. EX-treme Paintball Deer Hunter

**So, right off the bat I wanted to let you all know that this is the longest chapter thus far, and will probably be the longest chapter in the whole series. Author's Note's included, it's at over 12,000 words. Hopefully it'll be worth the read!**

 **I also wanted to give you all a warning beforehand about this chapter, only because there will probably be strong responses to it.**

 **The warning is that there will be guest appearances of former contestants from the TD series (so not just this fic). Here are some things to keep in mind:**  
 **1.) None of them are entering the game as competitors.**  
 **2.) This chapter focuses on canon past occurrences that are painful for some of this story's main characters.**  
 **3.) Not everyone is shown in a flattering light, and it's not to say that the character them self is bad. These former campers are merely serving as plot devices for those actually competing.**  
 **4.) The purpose of this chapter is not to diss on any characters, or to say that the campers competing are somehow "better" or "more right" than the ones making a guest appearance. It is just to further this story and its characters.**  
 **5.) Given the amazing comments I've read thus far, I honestly don't think it will be a problem. I just wanted to say something beforehand, because I know fans can get attached and protective of certain characters (myself included). Above everything, I want you to please enjoy this chapter and tell me your thoughts on it!**

* * *

 **Brainy Beetles: Courtney, Scarlett**

 **Brawny Beavers: DJ, Jasmine, Lightning, Sky**

 **Beautiful Butterflies: Leshawna, Sugar**

* * *

 ***Last Episode Recap***  
"Last time, on Total Drama... half the campers might be gone, but the drama only doubled! The remainders of Lindsay's alliance were not happy to learn that Dawn helped vote her off, essentially making her public enemy number one. Meanwhile, _no one_ was happy to learn that instead of the merge, they were divided into Heroes and Villains for old times sake. The challenge was a battle of endurance where the teams had to fight each other in hopes of being safe from the latest double elimination. Leshawna won Invincibility on the Heroes team, and she, Jasmine, and DJ debated between keeping Sky or B. Courtney ended up winning Invincibility on the Villains team after she made a pact with Scarlett and Lightning to vote for Dawn. In the most shocking move yet, Scarlett kept her promise, the Heroes stuck together, and B and Dawn became the latest victims of the Slingshot of Defeat. Two more campers down, eight more to go! Will any alliance remain sacred? Will things get even worse for the campers? Get ready to find out on this shocking episode of Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"  
 ***End Recap***

* * *

A party has erupted, with the remaining contestants celebrating making it to the merge. There's some music playing, and campers are dancing and laughing by the fire pit. Even Scarlett and Sugar are happier than normal, even if it is only slightly so.

"Wow-wee! Nothin' like a good party to get us ready for the merge, huh?" Sugar asks Scarlett.

Scarlett's face almost instantly goes back into game mode at the reminder. "Sugar, don't be ridiculous. The merge is _here,_ we should already be prepared for it. And a party certainly will not fix our current social arrangements."

Sugar rolls her eyes. "Girl, lighten up. I forgave you for votin' off Dawn, so you can forget about the game for tonight."

"I told you already, getting rid of Dawn was the best move in the long run."

"Yeah, yeah, sure. On the plus side, I'm the only blonde left now! Isn't that great?"

Now it's Scarlett's turn to roll her eyes. "Whatever makes you happy, Sugar. Just stick with me and we'll have no problems."

"Sure thing, Boss!"

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Wow, we're finally at the merge! Not that I'm surprised or nothin', I knew I would get here. For now, I'm just gonna let Scarlett make the big moves so everyone can be mad at her. I'm ready for that million to be mine!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"As of now, my standing in the game is... not secure, to say the least. However, I have a plan to remedy that. I'll just need the assistance of the more cutthroat players."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Meanwhile, the other six campers are dancing around, though they've unconsciously split into pairs. Jasmine and Leshawna are in the center, chuckling lightheartedly. DJ and Courtney are another pair, who are to the left of them. Sky and Lightning are unsurprisingly the last pair, and they are at the far right. Lightning seems to be as carefree as the others, while Sky is much more serious. It takes awhile for Lightning to see Sky's shift in expression, but when he does, he immediately reacts.

"Sky? What's sha-wrong?"

Sky lets out a sigh and replies, "We almost went home tonight."

"But we didn't! And almost everyone that voted for us got sent home!" He reminds her.

Sky nods, but still says, "I know, but still... it made everything more surreal. I don't know if I've ever been that scared during an elimination before. I thought we were going to be separated... that Scarlett was going to go back on her word..."

Unsure of how to properly respond, Lightning pulls her into a hug instead, praying that Sky wouldn't consider it too forward. She leans into the hug, and doesn't question why this was his reply of choice. When they finally leave each other's embrace, Lightning speaks again.

"Uh, Lightning ain't too good with the emotional stuff or anything but... I think we're in a pretty good spot now. And, um, if one of us does get eliminated, it's not like we'll never see each other again, right?"

Sky looks torn at Lightning's statement, so she asks him the question that's really on her mind, "You never watched Pahkitew Island, have you?"

Lightning guiltily replies, "Uh, no... sorry, I haven't watched any of the seasons that I wasn't in. Shit, that sounds really bad when I say it out loud. But I know you got second place, just like the Lightning did in his season!"

Sky chuckles at the last sentence. "No, it's okay, that's not why I asked. Um, Lightning... I had a really tough time on the show, especially in the Finale. I made some mistakes, and... there's just still a lot you don't know about me."

Lightning shrugs, a little confused about what she's implying. "I mean, everyone has a rough time, right? It can't be worse than me, Lightning only had Jo cheering for me at the Finale, and it was out of spite!"

Sky tried to smile at Lightning's attempts to make her feel better, but there was still a hint of sadness in her eyes. "I just don't want my past to ruin everything again."

"Honestly, Lightning doesn't think there's anything you can say that will make me hate you. We'll have plenty of time to talk about our mistakes when the show's done. Just know I... um, care about you a lot."

This time, it's Sky that pulls Lightning into a tight hug. There's a moment of silence before she finally says, very quietly, "Thank you."

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"It's nice that Lightning _thinks_ he's cool with what happened on my first season, but I'm still worried. Once he sees how Dave and I ended, I doubt he'll want anything to do with me. So yeah, part of me wants to believe him, but the other part is preparing for the worst."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Jasmine and Leshawna let out an "awww" in unison once they see Sky pull Lightning into an embrace. Luckily for everyone, they're far enough away from the pair that no one hears it.

"Girl, I ain't gonna lie, those two are so cute together." Leshawna tells Jasmine.

Jasmine smiles in agreement. "I _know_. You should've seen them in the beginning, they were such a wreck. Seems like it was obvious to all the Brawny Beavers except for them. Now they're practically attached at the hip. I doubt they even notice."

"Probably not." Leshawna agrees. She takes a deep breath and continues, "So you know how we were thinking of voting Sky off?"

"Of course." Jasmine replies bluntly.

"Do you still want to target them after the next challenge? Now that B and Dawn are gone..."

Jasmine thinks about this for a moment before responding. "Honestly, I think we should vote out Scarlett first. I don't want her staying any longer than she already has. The sooner we get her out, the safer we all are."

Instead of asking for an elaboration, Leshawna replies cooly, "Works for me."

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Scarlett's had it easy these past few weeks. But I haven't forgotten all the terrible things she's done, not by a long shot. I said I was coming for you Scarlett, and I'm keeping that promise."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

DJ and Courtney are chuckling over everyone's antics. The reality of their situation is finally beginning to settle in.

"Damn, we made it to the merge." DJ tells her.

Courtney smiles at this. "I know. I was so worried that I'd have another screw up. To get this far, and with friends... it feels amazing."

DJ's smile falters slightly. "You know Courtney, you don't have to be so tough on yourself about the past."

Courtney looks to the ground and says, "I know, it's just hard to sometimes."

DJ nods and tells her, "I can imagine. But this is a new season. Everything you went through, it'll be worth it when we're in the finals."

Courtney's smile looks a little fuller after that. She tells him "You're right," before they go and join the others in their conversation.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"I am on a _roll_ lately! Not only did none of my allies go home, but _both_ eliminations ended exactly how I wanted them too. Bring it on Chris, I'm ready for whatever you have to throw at me next."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The campers all finally go to bed after the party dies down. Nothing has been done about the cabins yet, so everyone goes to whichever one they've stayed in all summer.

When Courtney heads into her cabin, she isn't surprised to see Scarlett, who has been her only roommate for the entire competition. What does surprise her is the sense of urgency in her voice.

"Courtney, we need to talk."

Courtney lets out a yawn. "Now?"

Scarlett shakes her head. "Yes, it has to be done before the next challenge. Given Chris' history, that could be at any time."

Courtney can't argue with that logic. So instead she simply says, "Okay, fine. What's up?"

Scarlett straightens out her glasses before beginning. "Courtney, I'm going to be straightforward with you. I am hoping our alliance can be maintained all the way to the Final Two. If we keep each other safe, we can direct attention to the threats remaining in the game. By the time everyone realizes they've been duped, we'll be in the Finale."

Courtney mulls it over for a moment before replying, "I... I don't know. I like how you're thinking, but you have to be reasonable."

"Is this about your other Final Two deal with DJ" Scarlett asks bluntly.

That certainly surprised Courtney. "What? How did you-"

Scarlett interjects to explain. "Neither of you were exactly subtle about your plans to go to the finals together. But be honest with yourself Courtney, do you really think you can beat him? He has more friends here than anyone else, and despite his pathetic performance last challenge, he's also physically strong."

Courtney looks down to the floor after Scarlett's explanation. She wants to be mad, but she knows there is truth in her words. Finally she says, "I... I know. Which is why I can't betray him without getting everyone else pissed at me. I'd be the New Dawn!"

Scarlett gives Courtney a wicked smirk. She was expected this kind of reply. "You're right, which is why we don't have to get rid of him right away. We can follow a different order that I'm sure our opponents would comply with."

"And what order would that be?"

"Well, the smartest choice would be to go after Sky and Lightning. Seeing as how people were already considering betraying them, that shouldn't be too difficult. Once they're gone we go after Jasmine, and then Leshawna. With this plan you wouldn't have to betray DJ until the Final Four, which then would be much too late for him to do anything about it."

"So it'd be you, me and Sugar in the Final Three?" Courtney asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Precisely. And let's face it, Sugar's an imbecile. Either you or I will win Invincibility, and she gets third place again."

"You've thought this out a lot."

"Are you surprised? I needed to ensure the best plan for us. We've done so well together, why change it up now?"

There's another long pause before Courtney finally responds. "...You're right. I can't lie, it is a really good plan. And you know how badly I want to make to the Finale."

"So, do we have a deal?"

Courtney looks sadly at Scarlett and tells her, "Yeah, yeah we do. But I'm not betraying DJ until I absolutely have to. I owe him that much, okay?"

Scarlett smiles happily and says, "Of course."

The two shake hands on their revised plan for the third time this game. Unlike last time, their fingers aren't crossed.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Do I trust Scarlett? No, but I can't deny that her plan is pretty solid. It might be the only way to ensure I get to the Finale. But know this- if I do decide to go along with it and betray DJ, it's because _I_ decided it was best for me, not because Scarlett told me so!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Oh, I fully intend to follow the exact elimination order that I told Courtney... right up until the Final Three. Courtney is imperfect, but going against her in the Finale is too risky. Sugar, on the other hand, is idiotic and lazy, making her the easiest one to beat. Looks like DJ isn't the only one getting betrayed."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The campers are all in bed by this time, exhausted from the crazy day they had. Given the double elimination, everyone was hoping they'd get another day to relax before their next challenge.

Unfortunately for them, that's not what happened, as everyone was woken up to a blaring alarm and Chef's voice over the intercom.

"Attention, campers! If you want breakfast, I suggest you get your lazy behinds to the Dining Hall immediately! You have exactly 30 minutes to meet us by the docks, use this time wisely! That is all."

Naturally, this announcement is met with collective groans. Even those usually excited for the challenges can't be bothered with the rude awakening.

Half an hour later, everyone is at the dock. Chris and Chef are at the very end of them, grinning from ear to ear.

"Morning, campers." Chris says sinisterly. "Did you enjoy Chef's wake up call?"

"Lord, please tell me this is swimming challenge, because I really need to wake up." Leshawna tells them.

Chris replies, "Sorry, it's not. But trust me, it will definitely wake you up. Chef, care to give the campers their supplies? They may appear familiar to some of you."

Chef does as was requested and hands each camper their equipment. Upon closer inspection we see that it's the deer antler headpieces used in Season One.

"Ugh, are you serious? We're playing the Deer Hunter game again?" Courtney asks, her voice full of disgust.

Chris just laughs and says, "Oh, if that makes you mad, just wait. There'll plenty more to be mad about soon enough. Now, this challenge is _easy_. You will all be the deer, and your hunter will be armed with a paintball gun. If you're hit by a paintball, you're out. Last camper to be hit wins Invincibility."

"Sounds painful." DJ says dryly.

"But wait, there's more!" Chris says before anyone else can interject. He takes a deep breath to show that his next speech will be a longer one.

"So we thought about this challenge for awhile. It was clear that in a season of returning players, we'd have to do a challenge that would strike an emotional chord with audiences."

Chef nods in agreement at this. Chris pauses for dramatic effect before continuing on.

"We thought about having a loved one come visit you, but we realized that was way too boring. _That's_ when we decided to bring back some former campers. A trip down memory lane, if you will."

Jasmine, Leshawna, and DJ perk up at this idea. Everyone else looks mortified.

"So we thought about bringing on contestants that you were close with to assist you in the challenge. Then we realized about half of you were villains and didn't have anyone that you were close with. Also, again, very boring."

Now Jasmine, Leshawna, and DJ's smiles falter. The other campers shrug and accept that fact. Finally, Chris ends the suspense.

"So finally, we came up with the best idea yet: Bring back your former enemies that will do everything in their power to make sure you lose this challenge!"

Courtney, Sky, and Scarlett all look like they got the wind knocked out of them. Leshawna looks uneasy, and the others aren't sure how to take the news.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"All I'm gonna say is that this challenge definitely gives an advantage to nice people."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Um, how exactly will this work?" Scarlett asks.

"Why Scarlett, I'm glad you asked. Each of you 'deer' has been assigned another former Total Drama contestant to act as your own personal hell raiser... a Saboteur, if you will. They will be the ones hunting you today. The person that is assigned to be your specific Saboteur can't target anyone else until they get you out first. Once they've done that, they are a free agent and can hunt anyone they like. Any questions?"

"Can we opt to sit out this challenge?" Sky asks.

"I was about to ask the same thing." Courtney adds in.

"Yeahhhh... no. But nice try." Chris tells them happily.

Sugar finally speaks up. "Ah, lighten up you two! It can't be that bad!"

Chris smiles at this. "I'm glad you think so, Sugar, because the boat with the Saboteurs is coming in now, and _yours_ is first up."

Sure enough, a large boat is docking in, though no one can see who's inside. Finally, a thin frame comes into view, and the various shades of pink is all Sugar needs to see to be set off.

"Oh hell no, anyone but her..." Sugar says bitterly.

Chris smiles and says, "Oh hell yes. Sugar, your Saboteur for this challenge will be... Ella!"

"Hi Sugar, so great to see you again!" Ella yells from the boat. When the boat finally lands, steps are rolled out so Ella can get off. She runs happily to her former teammate and pulls her into a tight hug.

 ***Confessional-Ella***  
"Oh my, it's so great to be back! And I get to spend all challenge with Sugar! Hopefully she'll accept my apology for whatever I did wrong on our season!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Ella's. Going. Down."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris speaks up again. "Next up is... Jasmine! You might remember your Saboteur well, because she only left a few weeks ago! For this challenge, you will be hunted by Eva!"

The former Brawny Beaver steps out into view, the scowl on her face making Jasmine nervous. When she reaches the dock, she grabs her paintball gun without a word to her former teammates.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Okay, I thought Eva was cool with everyone on our team. I guess she must be mad at me because I started the campaign to get her out. This won't be fun."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris continues on. "Well Lightning, we were originally hoping Jo could be your Saboteur, but then you had to go and make friends with her. So, we picked the next best thing, which was to bring back the person that beat you in the Finale of your original season. So, your Saboteur is another former camper of this season... Cameron!"

Cameron stumbles out, his entrance much less dramatic than the campers before him. He looks more nervous than Lightning.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Is it bad that I'm not that worried?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Now that that's out of the way, finally we're getting to the good parts!" Chris exclaims. "Scarlett, I assume you're smart enough to know who your Saboteur will be?"

"Just bring the little troll out. Spare the dramatics, please." Scarlett tells them. Her head is in her hands in annoyance.

Chris looks displeased. "Alright then... I present to you all, Max!"

The purple haired man steps out and attempts his evil laugh. When it's ineffective to the competitors, he goes down to the dock and grabs his paintball gun.

He proclaims loudly, "I've come to seek revenge against my former Sidekick, the horrid Scarlett! She, and the rest of you, will feel the wrath of my EVIL!"

Again, the campers are all unamused.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"To whomever decided to allow this maggot to be my Saboteur, I'd like to thank you for Invincibility. Outsmarting him will be the easiest thing I've done all season."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The camera now pans to Courtney, Leshawna, and DJ, who are getting increasingly nervous after seeing everyone else's Saboteurs.

"Ahh, I've been excited to get to you three." Chris says happily. "Since your Saboteurs are all... connected, I figured we'd announce them together. So... Courtney, want to know who your Saboteur will be?"

"No!" Courtney yells.

Chris shrugs. "Well, too bad. Everyone, I present to you... Scott!"

The redhead appears with a mean scowl on his face. He doesn't say anything as he steps down to retrieve his paintball gun. Courtney looks away, clearly hurt to be seeing him there. She doesn't notice how his face softens in her direction when she turns away.

Chris continues on once more. "Don't be too sad yet, Courtney, because Leshawna's Saboteur is the one and only... Duncan!"

"WHAT?!" Leshawna and Courtney both yell. Sure enough, the man with the green Mohawk is shown on the boat, easily jumping onto to dock and grabbing his paintball gun.

"Hey Princess, long time no see." Duncan says calmly, and cocky smirk planted firmly on his face.

Chef nudges him. "You're supposed to be Leshawna's Saboteur."

Duncan rolls his eyes and says," Whaddup Leshawna?"

Leshawna looks relieved at the revelation of her Saboteur, while Courtney looks devastated.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Seriously?! One ex wasn't enough for you sadistic people?!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"I'd like to think of Duncan not so much as my Saboteur as he is Courtney's second Saboteur. Sorry girl, I love ya, but I'm trying to win too."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris' biggest smile is saved for the announcement of DJ's Saboteur. "DJ, my man, gonna be honest with you. Finding someone to be your Saboteur was _hard_. You're just too nice bro. But, then we figured that there's gotta be someone that'll be mean to anyone, right? Well, there is, because your Saboteur is the one and only... Heather!"

DJ's jaw drops at the announcement, baffled by Chris' twisted logic.

The season one antagonist steps off the ship with all the confidence in the world. When she grabs her paintball gun from Chef, she turns and looks DJ directly in the eye.

"Well DJ, this should be fun." Heather tells him. DJ almost passes out.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"So let me get this straight. I don't have any enemies, so they reward me by having the meanest, most cutthroat contestant imaginable be my Saboteur? That's messed up, man."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Finally, the attention is all on Sky, who has yet to hear who her Saboteur is. But for her, the announcement is unnecessary, because she already knows.

"Well Sky," Chris says, "it's all down to you. We saved the most unresolved, pissed off contestant for last."

"Just get on with it!" Sky shouts.

Chris rolls his eyes. "Alright, alright, fineeee. Sky, your Saboteur is Dave. And not to worry, we made sure he watched _all_ of this season thus far. So have fun with that."

Dave steps out looking more pissed off than ever. He doesn't waste any time getting off the boat and grabbing his paintball gun.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"Ugh, I was really hoping that I wouldn't have to deal with this until after the show, at least. I don't know what to do now, I'm stuck."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"That guy is Sky's Saboteur? For real? He's so... tiny. Man, Lightning really wishes he watched last season now."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Hey, Sky... long time no see! I think the last time we saw each other was when you betrayed me and left me on this island!" Dave yells bitterly.

"Dave, come on, you know that's not-" Sky attempts to explain, only to get cut off by Dave.

"That's not what? That's not what happened? Care to explain to everyone here what actually happened then? Since you're so innocent!"

"Alright dude, chill. Can't this wait until after the challenge?" Lightning asks aloud.

Unbeknownst to him, Dave was just waiting for Lightning to say something. "Oh, so this is Sky's new boyfriend, hm? Should I call him Keith 2.0? Or, I guess he'd be Keith 3.0, after me."

Now Lightning's the angry one, and he looks ready to throw a punch. "The name's Lightning, and watch how you talk to her."

Before Dave can reply, Sky cuts in and says, "Lightning, please. I got this."

"You sure?" Lightning says quietly, gently lowering his fist.

Sky nods quietly. "Yeah, I'm sure. I have to do this by myself."

Lightning looks unconvinced, but listens to her anyway.

 ***Confessional- Dave***  
"So, Sky thinks she can make me jealous with _that_ guy? As if, he's a moron- a total rebound. I know it, Sky knows it, and everyone knows it."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"All Lightning's saying is that Sky could probably break that little toothpick Dave in half if she wanted to. And she should."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Before Dave can comment any further, Chef brings him back into the line of returning campers. The camera focuses on a long shot of all of them, fully armed with paintball guns and determined looks in their eyes.

"Now, considering the amount of damage that's about to be done, we figured it's only fair that the deer get a ten minute head start. After that, it's game on. Some quick reminders for our Saboteurs; One, This is not a chance for you to get into the game, _Eva_. Two, There is no prize money for you, _Heather_. Three, you can only go after other campers after you get your intended target out, _Duncan_. And four- have fun!" Chris tells them all.

"Great, now can we get this over with? I got some deer to hunt." Duncan says. Despite being assigned to Leshawna, he looks right at Courtney when he says it.

 ***Confessional- Duncan***  
"So I know I'm technically Leshawna's Saboteur, but we all know the real reason I'm here. Princess and I have a score to settle, and what better way to stick it to her than to be beat by Scott and I at the same time?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Courtney gulps loudly out of fear after hearing that, though she scowls in an attempt to hide it. She looks over to Scott, only to find that he's been looking at her sadly this whole time. He looks away immediately after this, much to Courtney's dismay. Sky places a hand on her shoulder and quietly says "We'll be okay."

Chris rolls his eyes and resumes his hosting duties. "We'll start when I want to start, Duncan. Anyway, Deer- you have ten minutes to get as far away from these maniacs as possible. And those ten minutes start... now!"

As if on instinct, Courtney grabs DJ and Sky's hands, indicating that she wants them to follow her. They follow; though as they leave, Courtney and Sky both look over their shoulders at Scott and Lightning, respectively.

"Dude, she was totally checking me out just then." Duncan muttered to Scott, who practically growls in reply.

 ***Confessional- Scott***  
"No I haven't missed Courtney at all, even if she does look prettier after all this time apart. I mean, it's not like I still have feelings for her or anything. Only a total idiot would."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"The worst thing about having Scott as my Saboteur is that I don't even hate him. Not at all."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Before Jasmine can run off, Lightning gives her a nudge and asks her to go with him. A confused Jasmine nods, anxious to understand the reasoning behind his request. All of the other campers run off on their own.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Lightning doesn't really know the story about whatever happened with Sky and Dave. Since Jasmine was there, I figured I could ask her for some more info while we hide."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

All eight campers are well into the woods when Chris' voice comes over the intercom.

"Attention Campers! Just wanted to let you all know that your Saboteurs have been unleashed. We hope your defeats aren't too painful. Chris out!"

Courtney has been silently running with Sky and DJ, but the announcement causes them to stop. Once the brunette catches her breath, she finally speaks her mind to the other two.

"Okay, so us three were arguably given the worst Saboteurs." Courtney explains, "I say we stick together for as long as we can to make this challenge as painless as possible for us. How's that-?"

Her explanation is interrupted by the sounds of DJ screaming and running away. Though none of them can see Heather, it is unmistakably her voice that is shouting "Come back here, DJ!", up in the trees.

"Ugh, nevermind." A defeated Courtney says.

Sky gently smiles at her and says, "If you still want to stick together, I'm all for it. I think we could use some time away from our exes."

Courtney giggles, but then covers her mouth to prevent being heard by others. The pair begin walking off together, quietly sharing stories of past seasons.

Meanwhile, Sugar hasn't gotten very far from the starting point in the ten minutes they were given. We see her strolling along, out of breath from trying to run. After a couple more steps she lays down, face first, in the ground. She doesn't notice Ella approach her.

"Sugar, oh Sugar! I'm so glad I found you!" Ella chirps.

"Shit." Sugar mumbles to herself. She slowly stands up to meet with Ella eye level and speaks again. "Well, I ain't gonna get very far if I run, so go ahead and shoot. I wanna get this over with."

Ella looks surprised. "Oh no, Sugar, that's not it at all! I don't want to hurt you, I want to help you win so we can be friends!"

Now it's Sugar's turn to look surprised. "What? Really? After everything?!"

Ella nods enthusiastically. "But of course! I really think we can be friends, I would love to see you succeed in this game!"

"Well... alright then, uh... good. I wanna be friends too and whatever." Sugar says, trying to prevent herself from laughing.

"Oh, Sugar, that's wonderful!" Ella says back. She pulls an uncomfortable Sugar into a tight hug. Sugar pushes her away, setting off her paintball gun in the process. She gets hit in the foot.

"Ouch! What the hell?! Why I never-" Sugar whines as she examines her paint-covered foot.

Suddenly Chris' voice comes over the intercom. "And our first camper out is Sugar, with a shot to the foot!"

Ella yells to the machine. "What? Oh no, that was an accident!"

"Doesn't matter, she's still out." Chris replies over the machine. "Sugar, come back to the cabins, which is where the losers will be sitting. Ella, you can go hunt other campers, though I have a feeling you won't be of much use."

Ella opts to go with Sugar, much to the latter's dismay.

The camera goes to Max, Cameron, and Dave, who are all walking together. They're in the middle of a conversation when Max starts surveying the land.

"Max? Something wrong?" Cameron asks.

"It's Scarlett... she's been here, I can tell! No telling she's whipping something up, trying to combat my evil with some tricks of her own." Max tells them.

"... um, okay." Dave says back.

Cameron shivers. "I know what you mean. I'd rather let Lightning win Invincibility then run into him. He'll eat me alive for taking his win away again!"

Max ponders this for a moment. "Lightning... would that be the one who is smitten with Sky?"

Dave growls lightly at this. "Don't. Talk. About him. He's so blindly obsessed with Sky even though she's the worst human ever."

Cameron looks uncomfortable. "Um, don't you think that's a little extreme? I mean, Lightning scares me, but I wouldn't call him the worst person ever. And from what I saw, him and Sky have been pretty kind to each other."

But Dave ignores him and continues on. "Isn't it just so typical? The girl goes after the dumb jock instead of an nice guy like me. He's just so arrogant! The only thing he could ever care about is himself!"

Max scoffs. "Love makes you so idiotic. I'm glad I have never fallen victim for such nonsense. I've chosen to focus on scien- AH!

Just like that, Max falls into a large hole that was covered by a pile of leaves. Cameron and Dave, who were a few steps behind him, were spared the same fate.

"Uh, Max... are you alright?" Cameron asks.

"Curses!" Max replies, "Stupid hole! What animal could be capable of such a thing?"

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Took me five minutes to dig that hole up. I had a feeling some idiot would fall into it. The fact that it was Max makes it even better."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Cameron***  
"Well, Max may never fall in love, but he sure fell into that hole pretty well."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

As the two other males assist Max out of the trap, DJ comes running by them, screaming. A minute later, Heather goes dashing in the same direction, not giving them a second glance.

DJ keeps running from Heather, but she closes the distance between them with every minute that passes. Before he knows it, he's reached the top of the diving cliff, Heather right behind him. His only options are to jump or accept defeat. But before he can make a choice, Heather speaks up.

"Sorry DJ, but Courtney's not here to jump the cliff with you."

DJ turns to face her. "Yeah, I know. Just shoot me so we get this over with."

Heather rolls her eyes. "I'm not gonna shoot you, DJ."

"Huh?"

"I _said_ , I'm not gonna shoot you."

"But why?"

"Because I want you to win. You're one of the few people here that doesn't annoy the crap out of me." Heather says, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

Despite this, DJ remains unconvinced. "What's in it for you?"

"That's just it, I gain nothing from this. Chris brought me back to stir up drama, but I'm not competing. I get nothing by you losing, and the satisfaction of helping you win by not shooting you with paintballs. Convinced now?"

DJ thinks about this for a moment before nodding slowing. "Yeah, I guess so."

Heather smiles at him. "Good. Now, make yourself useful and show me around this crappy island. I've never been here before."

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Okay, that was not how I was expecting that to go. Then again, nothing about today has been ordinary so... I guess I'll take it."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Heather***  
"Oh, come on. Courtney and Lightning aren't the only villains that can be nice. Sorry Chris- no prize money, no drama."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The camera now shifts to the middle of the forest, where Jasmine and Lightning are walking. Jasmine is finishing up explaining what happened last season between Sky and Dave. Lightning is listening intently.

"...so I think that's everything mate, but you should still talk to Sky one-on-one. She'll able to explain herself better."

Lightning nods. "Sha-damn, Lightning didn't know it was that deep."

"Well, what are your thoughts about it?" Jasmine asks.

"I mean, Lightning thinks they both could have handled it better. Sky's not innocent, but it also ain't all her fault. It doesn't change how I sha-feel about her."

Jasmine smiles at this. "Good. To be honest, I think she was worried that you wouldn't like her anymore."

"Man, that's crazy! Lightning ain't gonna forget about her just cause she had a bad crush. I like her a lot!"

"And does she know that?" Jasmine asks playfully.

"... not how much, no." Lightning admits.

Before Jasmine can respond, a new voice comes into the mix. "Still dealing with relationship drama, I see?"

The pair turns around to see Eva standing here, a loaded paintball gun firmly in her hand. Both of her former teammates look nervous.

"Sha-hey, Eva! Long time no see girl!" Lightning says nervously.

"Lightning, I suggest you leave before I hit Jasmine and become a free agent." Eva tells the jock. Lightning is about to retort before Jasmine nudges him, quietly signaling for him to run. Lightning does just that, no further prompting necessary.

With Lightning out of sight, Jasmine tries to ease the tension between her and her Saboteur.

"Eva, I'm sor-"

Before she can say anything else, Eva makes a direct hit on her stomach with a paintball. It doesn't take long for Chris to announce to everyone that Jasmine is out and needs to head to the cabins.

Before she leaves, Eva gives Jasmine the faintest of smirks and says, "No apologies necessary, now we're even."

 ***Confessional- Eva***  
"Let's just say this challenge is a good stress reliever for the experience that was the Brawny Beavers."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Leshawna has wandered through most of the woods by this time, and has ended up at the beach. Before she can ponder her next move, she comes face to face with Duncan.

"Um, Duncan, hey..." Leshawna says coyly.

Duncan shakes his head 'no' before aiming the paintball gun at her. "Sorry, Leshawna, but you know I gotta do this."

Leshawna lets out a long sigh. "Fine, go ahead. Just nowhere near the face, please."

Duncan complies and hits her pant leg. Not long after, Chris is announcing Leshawna's loss.

As Leshawna heads back, she turns to Duncan and tells him, "You know, you might actually want to listen to what she has to say. Courtney's... Courtney, but she's grown a lot."

Duncan shrugs lightly, as if to imply that he'll consider it. A moment later he waves her off as he goes back into the woods in search of his ex.

Speaking of which, Sky and Courtney are still wandering through the woods together. When Leshawna's defeat is announced, Courtney stiffens up.

"Courtney, don't worry about it now. We haven't run into anyone else yet, so we must be doing something right." Sky reminds her.

Courtney eases a little bit. "I know, it's just going to be hard to face them. I already know that I wasn't a good girlfriend, I don't need to be reminded again."

Sky shakes her head slowly. "Honestly... same here. I'm terrified to face Dave, and now Lightning's wrapped up in everything too. He's definitely going to be done with me after this."

Courtney outright laughs at the notion. "Sky, please. You have him wrapped around your finger. He's not going anywhere."

"...You think so?"

"Definitely. I know you're both all about the competition, but literally everyone else here can tell that you mean a lot to each other."

Sky blushes at the implication. Courtney talks once more, but this time it sounds like Sky isn't meant to hear it.

"Maybe if I told Scott that I cared about him, things would be different now."

Suddenly, an all too familiar voice speaks up behind them. "What was that?"

The two women turn around to see Scott himself standing there. He's armed with his paintball gun, but he hasn't aimed it yet.

Courtney turns to Sky and bluntly tells her, "Go."

"Are you sure?" Sky asks.

"Yes. He's a free agent once he gets me out."

With that, Sky runs at full speed away from the scene, hoping to put as much distance between her and the pair as possible.

Courtney turns her attention back to Scott, who has yet to take aim at her.

"Did you mean what you just said? About caring about me?" Scott asks warily.

Courtney blurts out 'yes' before her brain even acknowledges what she's doing. "Yes, Scott, I really mean it. I know we rushed into a relationship in All-Stars, and there is so much I would've done differently, but... I still care about you. I don't know what that means... future-wise, but I want you to know that much."

Scott looks ready to tear up. He's about to say all the cheesy, heartfelt words that are jumbled in his head before they are interrupted by a third party. Unfortunately for them, it's the last person they want to see.

"Well, well, Scott, I see Courtney has already tried working her magic on you again. And I was hoping you learned your lesson from All Stars." Duncan taunts.

"Wait, what?" Scott asks.

Duncan laughs. "You know she's full of shit, right? She's just using your feelings to get closer to Invincibility. And dude, you were about to fall for it again."

"Duncan, stop! You don't know what you're talking about." Courtney shouts bitterly. Scott looks torn between both sides.

Duncan replies. "Please, I know better than anyone. Sorry Scott, but she probably won't even acknowledge your existence once this challenge is over."

With those words, Scott turns angry and aims the paintball gun back at Courtney. He still wavers between whether to fire or not, if his finger trembling over the trigger is any indication.

Seeing his uncertainty, Duncan offers his own suggestion. "Tell you what, I'm a free agent now. If you're too chicken to do it, I'll happily-"

Scott interrupts his offer with a paintball to the chest. It hits right in the center of the skull on his t-shirt. Before Courtney can thank him, he fires at her too, though her's hits her thigh.

"DAMN IT!" Courtney yells.

Chris' voice comes over the intercom. "Well, well, well, looks like Courtney is finally out! Not gonna lie, that took way longer than I thought. Well, we'll see you at the cabins."

Courtney begins to stomp towards the cabin without a word to her Saboteurs, much to Duncan's delight and Scott's dismay. However, she has a change of heart and turns around, charging towards the two. When she stops, she is nose-to-nose with Duncan.

"Let's get something straight, Duncan. Neither of us were innocent in our relationship. We both fucked up numerous times. And we'll continue to be in each other's lives so long as Total Drama is around. So please, for the sake of our sanities, can we just agree to just forgive each other and move on?"

Duncan is taken aback by Courtney's analysis. Nevertheless, he snaps himself back to reality and offers his response in the form of an extended hand and a smirk.

"Sure thing, Princess, let's forgive and forget. Who knows? Maybe next season we can have a kickass alliance together."

Courtney returns the gesture with a handshake and smirk of her own. "Don't push it."

 ***Confessional- Duncan***  
"So it wasn't initially my plan to call a truce with Princess, but what the hell? This day's just full of surprises."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

With their agreement secure, Courtney turns to find Scott still there, looking dejected as ever. She approaches him and asks gently, "Want to walk me back to the cabins?"

A shocked Scott can only nod 'yes' as they begin to walk slowly back. Finally he asks, "You still want to talk to me? Even after I got you out?"

"Yeah, I do."

They don't say anything for awhile, unsure of where to start. Finally Scott blurts out, "I've missed you, Courtney!"

Courtney nods to acknowledge his words, but doesn't say anything until they've reached the cabins, searching for the right words to say.

When they stop walking, Courtney tells him quietly, "I've- I've missed you too. But I can't promise anything while I'm still competing. I don't want to make the same mistakes again."

Scott smiles wider than he has all day. "That's okay. We can figure things out afterwards, once you win."

Courtney smiles at this. "You read my mind."

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"I was terrified to see Scott again, but I'm so glad I did. We talked things over without making any concrete promises. Maybe DJ's right, maybe I _am_ changing for the better."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Speaking of DJ, he and Heather are walking along the far end of the beach, laughing at whatever joke was just made.

"So, how's Alejandro?" DJ asks.

Heather blushes. "He's good; we're still together and everything. We actually have a betting pool for who'll win this season."

DJ laughs at this, because of course this would be Heather and Alejandro's idea of romantic. "Who are you betting on?"

"Alejandro thinks it'll be Leshawna. My money's on you." Heather explained.

DJ flashes Heather a big smile, something he thought he'd never do to the villainess.

Across the island, Lightning is tip-toeing past the gymnasium with about all the grace of an agitated gorilla. In his haste, he trips over an unforeseen rock. When he picks himself up, he's face to face with a trembling Cameron and an irritated Dave.

"Well, well, well, look who we ran into, Cameron." Dave says menacingly.

 ***Confessional- Dave***  
"So glad Max wandered off on his own. There's no way we could've looked as devious with him around."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

A terrified Cameron starts stuttering, "Um, hey, Lightning. Uh... sorry, but... you know what? Why don't we just let him go? I don't really care if he wins or not."

"Works for the Lightning." Lightning adds in.

"No!" Dave shouts. "Come on, Cameron, I can't shoot him until I get Sky out! You can't just let him win."

Lightning stiffens up at the mention of Sky's name. Cameron points the paintball gun at him out of fear.

"Man, you gotta stop hating Sky. She feels bad enough." Lightning tells him.

Dave scoffs. "Psh, as if you know anything. Lightning, Sky will use you to get to the end, just like she used me."

Lightning shakes his head in disbelief. "Then we clearly don't know the same Sky. The Sky _Lightning_ knows is a team player, and we're a good team."

Dave glares at him. "Yeah, I thought the same thing last season."

This time, Lightning does step forward, possibly to charge at Dave. In his haste, he doesn't notice that he startled Cameron, who fires the paintball gun as a reflex. He hits the jock in the shoulder.

"And it looks like we have our next camper out! This time it's Lightning, with a shot to the shoulder! Sorry dude, the cabins await!" Chris announces over the intercom.

Dave laughs at Lightning's misfortune. "Ha! Sucks to suck. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to find Sky."

He leaves before either man can say anything else.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Dave keeps saying how dumb I'll look for supporting Sky. Well joke's on him, Lightning don't need any help to look stupid. Wait... that came out wrong."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The camera shows the two Revenge of the Island finalists, who are alone in the midst of Dave's exit. Lightning looks awkward, and Cameron looks scared.

Cameron starts to ramble. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit you, I swear I was going to let you win! I would never-"

Lightning interrupts him with a hand over his mouth and begins to talk.

"Look dude, I shouldn't have been so hard on you in our first season. Winning's just really important to Lightning, but I know I need to work on my attitude. So... no hard feelings?"

Now Cameron just looks baffled. "Um... sure. I mean, yeah of course! No hard feelings!"

Lightning gives him a light nudge on the shoulder, and the former finalists walk back to the cabins together.

When they reach their destination, they find most of the campers and Saboteurs are already there. Courtney and Leshawna are sitting with Scott and Duncan by the Beauty cabin, while Jasmine is catching up with Ella at the Brawn cabin's porch. Not too far away, Sugar is sulking by the steps.

"Hey Lightning! Sorry you lost mate, I thought you were going to make it." Jasmine yells from the porch.

Lightning grins and runs over to join Jasmine, while Cameron walks over to the Beauty cabin to catch up with Courtney, much to the latter's delight.

The challenge goes on for about another 15 minutes with no updates. Then suddenly, as if it was timed on purpose, Sky and Scarlet come running towards the cabins in opposite directions. They meet in the middle, much to the entertainment of everyone else.

"Sky." Scarlett says.

"Scarlett." Sky replies.

Scarlett does a brief scan of the losing campers. "Well Sky, it seems that we're all that's left."

"Seems that way." Sky agrees.

"Wait a minute, what about-" Duncan mutters quietly to his group, only for Leshawna to elbow him in the ribs to silence him.

"I'm guessing you've been avoiding Max pretty well." Sky mentions, oblivious to the side conversations.

Scarlett looks behind Sky and smirks at the sight. "Easiest challenge we've ever done. Though I'm terribly sorry that that won't be the case for you."

Sky raises an eyebrow. "What do you-"

"SKY!" An all too familiar voice interrupts her question.

Sure enough, Dave is shown running up behind her. Sky starts backing away slowly, before realizing that her options are limited. Scarlett backs away to get a better view at the impending drama.

"Dave, I'm-" Sky says before getting interrupted.

"No, you listen to me Sky! I went through hell last season for you, for us! And you had a _boyfriend_ the entire time! What kind of person does that? And this season you're playing the perfect girlfriend to a total idiot! It's like you learned nothing!"

"Hey, wait a minute-" Lightning is about to interject before Jasmine cuts him off.

"Like Sky said, she needs to do this herself." Jasmine whispers. Lightning begrudgingly complies.

Sky's expression goes from upset to angry after the first sentence comes out of Dave's mouth. She takes a deep breath before

"You know what Dave? I'm sorry for hurting you. There's a lot I would've done differently last season, and I definitely made mistakes. But even if I didn't have a boyfriend back then, we wouldn't have worked out. You felt entitled to me and became obsessive. Lightning and I aren't dating, but it's nice to have someone around that understands me more than you ever will."

Sky's words only anger Dave more, and he shows it by aiming his paintball gun directly at her. "Yeah, well guess what? _I'm_ the one with the paintball gun, and now I'll finally get to-"

Dave's rant is cut short when Sky is hit on the arm by a paintball. However, it didn't come from Dave.

"And Sky is out! Man that was dramatic!" Chris bluntly announces over the speakers.

"What? But how?! I didn't shoot her!" Dave yells.

"Look up." A familiar voice calls out.

Everyone does so, only to find Eva sitting up in a tree just above Dave. She hops down with ease.

"Eva? But why?" Sky asks.

Eva shrugs. "I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of getting you out. You were my teammate, so I think I've earned the privilege more than anyone."

Sky smiles, as do Lightning and Jasmine from further away.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine & Eva***  
"Awww, Eva does care about our team!" Jasmine teases to her former teammate.

"Shut up." Eva groans. She gives Jasmine a light punch on the arm and adds in, "You guys are alright."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Plus," Eva continues before turning to Dave. "I hate sore losers. You act like she owes you something because you chose to eliminate yourself last season. Pathetic."

If Dave wasn't angry before, he certainly was now. He begins to shout, his hands going in all different directions.

"Pathetic- I'm pathetic?! What about all of you?!" He gestures to the other contestants. "You have a _clear_ power couple that you decided to ignore because they're _cute_. They're never gonna vote for each other, ever. They'll waltz right into the Finale if you don't do something about it!"

No one says anything, not even Sky and Lightning. This is partially because they don't want to add to the drama, and partially because they know he has a point.

Finally Ella stands up and walks over to Dave. She gently places her hand on his shoulder and says, "Dave... I don't think you're being very nice. Sky said her piece, and she admitted that she was wrong. But you were also wrong, so why don't you show her a little kindness yourself?"

Dave blushes a little, embarrassed at how fast everything escalated. He looks at Ella, then Sky, then Lightning and back at Ella.

He eventually mumbles out, "I... I want to move on from this."

Sky nods and says, "Me too."

Dave nods back and lightly says, "Okay."

Ella smiles and pulls both of them into a hug. "Ooo, I just love happy endings!"

Scarlett speaks up for the first time since Dave arrived. "Me too. And since I won Invincibility, I guess we can-"

Suddenly Max comes charging through the forest, covered in leaves and dirt and scrapes.

"SCARLETTTTTT!" He shouts. When he finally spots the redhead, he viciously fires multiple shots at her, hitting her repeatedly.

Despite being covered in paint, Scarlett just laughs. "You think I care about some paint? I won! You tried to beat me, and once again you failed, you little-"

"And Scarlett's out, thanks to Max's Rambo-style shootout!" Chris announces over the intercom.

Scarlett looks shocked. She shouts, "What? How is that possible? I'm the only camper left!"

"Yeah... you're not." Chris responds, though this time it's not from the intercom. He and Chef come driving through the campground on their golf cart, with Chris speaking through the megaphone. When they stop, Chris speaks again.

"You forgot about one. But don't worry, he and his _liar_ of a Sabotuer are coming this way right now."

The campers all look towards the clearing to see DJ and Heather walking through. Instead of being at each other's throats, they're munching on blueberries together, blissfully unaware of the chaos that occurred.

"Hey everyone! What'd we miss?" DJ chirps.

Scarlett's jaw drops. Courtney, Leshawna, and Duncan all smirk at their friend's sudden appearance.

"Congratulations, DJ, you have won Invincibility!" Chris announces.

"Really? Awesome!" DJ shouts. Heather looks incredibly pleased with herself, and the rest of the campers (with the exception of Scarlett) collectively congratulate DJ on his win.

When the cheering is over, Chris tells everyone, "Well, campers, it's been a crazy day. A lot has happened, but now it's time to say goodbye to the Saboteurs."

Everyone heads to the docks to say goodbye. Some goodbyes are heartfelt, like Eva with the Brawny Beavers. Others, like Scarlett and Sugar, refuse to say goodbye to anyone.

When the boat leaves, all that's left is Chris, Chef, and the 8 remaining contestants. Chris speaks once more.

"Well campers, you have just a few more hours before the Campfire Ceremony. Now's the time to figure out who you wanna vote off. We'll see you tonight."

All the campers begin to leave the docks and separate into their own groups.

Lightning pulls Sky aside immediately tells her, "You were great today."

"Please don't listen to what Dave says. I swear I can explain everything later."

Lightning seems unconcerned. "Psh, Lightning doesn't even remember half of what shrimpy dude said anyway. Besides, that's not how alliances work."

Sky smiles. "Thank you."

"So, who are we voting for?"

Sky doesn't even need to think about that one. "Scarlett. It has to be Scarlett. That our best option."

Lightning nods firmly and says, "Sounds good to me, let's get the word around."

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"I honestly don't think I could ask for a better partner... in the game, of course."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The two set off with a mission on their minds. Leshawna and Jasmine watch them go by as they head back themselves.

"Man, all that Dave stuff was... intense." Leshawna comments.

Jasmine pauses before speaking. "Yeah, but he did make a point."

"Huh?"

"They'll never vote for each other. Whether they call it an alliance or a relationship or whatever... they've got each other's backs." Jasmine observes.

"Should we vote for one of them tonight?" Leshawna asks.

"No. Scarlett first, then we figure out what's next."

Leshawna grins. "Works for me."

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"These next few eliminations are going to make or break my game. Some tough decisions will need to be made soon, and I'll probably be the deciding vote for them."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Meanwhile, Scarlett, Courtney, and Sugar are conversing in the Brainy Beetle cabin.

 ***Confessional- Scarlett***  
"Despite my miscalculations earlier, I am confident that I won't be eliminated today. While clearly an act of desperation, Dave's outburst at Sky and Lightning put a target on both of their backs. Now all I have to do is pick which love-sick imbecile is going home."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"So, who we votin' off tonight? Sky or Lightning? My votes for Lightning cause he's real strong." Sugar suggests.

Scarlett pretends to contemplate this, though she already has an answer. "While that is a tempting choice, I say we go with Sky. She's clearly the brains and stability of that duo. If we garner enough votes to send her home, Lightning will be a wreck."

Sugar lights up at this. "Wow, I never thought of it that way! Gee Scarlett, you're real smart! Are you sure you're not a wizard?"

Scarlett looks unamused. "... I'm quite sure of that, yes. Courtney, you've been awful quiet. What do you think, is Sky a reasonable choice?"

Courtney snaps out of her daze to answer. "Yes, definitely. Lightning would be a harder sell right now. I'm sure DJ and Leshawna would go along with Sky."

Scarlett smiles at her ally. "Wonderful. We should disperse before anyone gets suspicious."

The other two women agree, with Sugar going back to her cabin, and Courtney going in search of Leshawna and DJ.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"So it's either Sky or Scarlett going home tonight. I could vote for Scarlett and hope my connections are strong enough to get me to the end. Or I can send Sky home and begin Scarlett and I's path to the Final Two. I have a lot to think about."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Courtney runs into Leshawna first.

"Hey girl, you talk to DJ yet?" Leshawna asks.

Courtney shakes her head 'no'. "I was about to go check his cabin."

"Oh, well no big deal. You hear who people want to vote for?

"Scarlett, right?"

"Yeah, but Sugar's was talking in our cabin about getting rid of Sky. Honestly, can't blame her. I think that's the first time I've ever said that about Sugar." Leshawna tells her.

"Who do you want to vote for?" Courtney asks.

"Honestly? They both have good reasons to be sent home. But probably Scarlett- way easier to get people to agree to that."

"Hm, you have a point."

"Girl, don't I know it! But I'll go with whatever you and DJ want to do."

"Ok, good. I'll go find him and let you know what he says." Courtney assures her.

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"You hear the names of who people are voting for? Sky and Scarlett, a.k.a, not Leshawna, and not Leshawna's allies. I'm trying to get as little blood on my hands as possible, so I'll vote for whoever Courtney and DJ decide is best."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Sure enough, DJ was in his cabin alone, as Lightning had left earlier. Courtney barges into his cabin without any warning.

She begins to speak immediately. "So, Sky, Lightning, and Jasmine are trying to get rid of Scarlett..."

"But you don't think we should vote with them?" DJ finishes for her.

"No, I mean... I don't know. Scarlett and Sugar want to vote for Sky, and... I think it makes sense. But I don't want you to be mad"

"Why would I be mad? I'm not mad."

"Really?" Courtney asks wearily.

DJ shakes his head yes. "I mean I don't like it, but we were considering voting them off last week too. Courtney, we're an alliance, and I trust your judgement. So just tell me who you want to vote for, and I'll vote that way."

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Either I vote for Sky and go with my head, or vote for Scarlett and go with my heart. And DJ will do whatever I say because he's a good friend and he trusts me... damn it, DJ.  
 ***Confessional Ends***

DJ gives his friend a light nudge, her attention now fully focused back on him.

"So Courtney, who are we voting for?"

* * *

 _*Campfire Ceremony*_  
Chris and Chef are standing by the podium with 7 marshmallows in front of them. The campers are sitting in front of them, anxiously awaiting the results. The camera cuts to a close up of Chris so that he can begin.

"Welcome, campers, to your first post-merge Campfire Ceremony! Not gonna lie, today was tough. There was a lot of yelling, painful memories, and forgiveness. However, one of you got off way too easy simply because they were _nice_. Well DJ, you still won Invincibility, so you get the first marshmallow."

Chris tosses the marshmallow to a happy DJ, who caught it with ease.

"Leshawna, Jasmine, and Sugar... you ladies are also safe."

Chris tosses to each of them before continuing on.

"Next up is... Courtney. And after that, it's... Lightning."

Courtney and Lightning each catch their marshmallows the moment their name is called.

The camera is now focused on Scarlett and Sky. Scarlett smirks in the direction of Sugar. Sky's eyes seem to be darting to everywhere except in Lightning's direction, as if she's trying to get a read on how everyone voted.

At last, Chris speaks once more. "Sky and Scarlett, you're our bottom two tonight. Sky, you're a former finalist in a tight alliance, and Dave's outburst certainly didn't help your case. Scarlett, your reputation speaks for itself. Only one of you will receive a marshmallow tonight. The person who is safe is..."

As usual the dramatic music begins to play. Scarlett's used to it by now, but Sky's never looked worse. She looks to be on the verge of tears, shaking in anticipation.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Chris finally says a name.

"Sky."

"WHAT?!" Scarlett and Sugar shout in unison. Sky and Lightning look relieved, and everyone else just looks satisfied.

Chris tosses the last marshmallow to Sky, who looks all too eager to catch it. Scarlett stands up from her spot and glares straight at the host.

"Those calculations are wrong! They have to be. I demand a recount!" Scarlett shouts, her voice full of venom.

Chris and Chef both shrug. "Yeah, sorry Crazy, there's not much to count. Sky had two votes against her, and you had the rest."

"Two votes...?" Scarlett trails off in disbelief. She looks to Sugar, who looks completely baffled. She then looks to Courtney, who is showing no emotion. She's not even looking at Scarlett. It doesn't take long for Scarlett to figure out what happened.

"What the fuck Courtney?! We had a perfect plan, and you ruined it! And for what, to keep an outside alliance in the game?! Why, why in the world would you do something so stupid?!"

For the first time since the Campfire Ceremony started, Courtney looks at Scarlett dead in the eye. She says to her in a harsh, even-toned voice:

"I am not your sidekick."

At those words, Scarlett snaps, and pounces in Courtney's direction claws first. If it wasn't for Chef and Lightning holding her back, Courtney probably would've been hurt.

Chris steps in front of the scene and says, "Okay, that's enough. Let's get this over with before we have a medical evacuation."

The next scene shows a still agitated Scarlett placed in the Slingshot of Defeat. The remaining campers and Chris are keeping a far distance between themselves and her.

"You know Scarlett, as much as I despise you, I just _have_ to hear your last words." Chris says.

Scarlett turns to the remaining contestants and looks straight at Courtney. "Courtney, I hope you remember this elimination well, since it's the closest you'll ever get to being a power player. The only reason you got this far is because _I_ carried you here."

Before anyone can reply, Chef releases her from the Slingshot. Courtney walks away before anyone can comfort her, and soon they all follow suit.

Once they all leave, Chris closes the episode for the night.

"Damn, what an episode! A shocking ending is fitting for all the drama that just ensued! Did Courtney make the right choice? Are Sky and Lightning next to go? Find out next time, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"

 **•End of Episode Twelve•**

* * *

 **Damn... just damn. I can't tell you guys how many rough drafts this chapter went through before it became this. The plan was always for former campers to make guest appearances, and for Scarlett to be eliminated. So much work went into this because it is one of the most important and dramatic chapters in the whole story. I hope you enjoyed it and can see how much was put into it.**

 **Here is the voting lineup for this chapter:**  
 **Courtney- Scarlett**  
 **DJ- Scarlett**  
 **Jasmine- Scarlett**  
 **Leshawna- Scarlett**  
 **Lightning-Scarlett**  
 **Scarlett- Sky**  
 **Sky- Scarlett**  
 **Sugar- Sky**

* * *

 **To be completely honest, I love villains and anti-heroes. Heroes are fine, but I just personally enjoy the characters with huge flaws and imperfections infinitely more than characters who try to act as though they never do anything wrong. This is part of what inspired me to write this fic; to have these imperfect characters not only return, but have huge roles in the story.**

 **There are so many dramatic occurrences in this chapter, particularly with the Saboteurs. Sky, Lightning, and Courtney had the biggest turnarounds in this area, which is what I intended from the beginning. I decided to do this in order to address the biggest flaw of** ** _this_** **story- the fact that these three get off** ** _way_** **too easily in the beginning. Sky is lucky because she's not competing with Dave again. Lightning is able to form this strong bond with Sky almost immediately and never had to answer for his treatment of Cameron towards the end of ROTI. Courtney, oh Courtney, was lucky enough that I didn't put Duncan, Gwen, or Scott in this story with her; all of whom would have had a personal vendetta against her.**

 **That is basically what this chapter's purpose is; to have the luckier contestants answer for their past actions, be that to apologize to those they've hurt (Lightning), own up to their mistakes and move forward (Courtney), or to outright defend themselves (Sky). Now that they've at least been addressed, I can move forward with them as characters who are less attached to loose ends in canon.**

 **There was no way I could have, in good conscious, allowed Sky and Lightning to become a couple in the future without ever addressing the Dave and Sky storyline. Sky needed to make peace with that part of her life, and Lightning needed to assure her that he won't hold it against her. I wanted my readers to know that, at least in this universe, Lightning is not going to feel entitled to Sky the same way Dave did. Sky is not repeating her mistakes, she's learning from them.**

 **The biggest downside I found with doing the Saboteur challenge is that it meant I had to downplay some of the remaining contestants. I this case, it was Sugar and Leshawna (and to an extent, Jasmine). This is only because the characters in this chapter doubled what they were before, and I obviously have to give focus to the characters that were there for one chapter. Leshawna didn't need to learn from a past experience, and Sugar just wasn't going to. They'll have more of a presence next chapter, where Sugar will now have to fend for herself. You will also see more of Leshawna, and her strategy to get as little blood on her hands as possible. It's a good strategy, especially in this setting, so we'll see how it pays off.**

 **Jasmine and the Saboteurs played more of supporting roles in this chapter. This is obvious for the Saboteurs, but Jasmine's role is more calculated. She's becoming more cunning and aware of the politics around her. In the first half of this series, I had her act as the lovable partner in crime with DJ, because that's all they needed to be. At no point during their time on the Brawny Beavers were they in danger of going home. Now it's everyone for themselves, and Jasmine's going to act accordingly.**

 **I would love to know what people thought about DJ winning invincibility this time around. When I came up with the Saboteur idea, the biggest challenge I found was that I couldn't pick an enemy for DJ or Jasmine. When I got the idea for DJ to be supposedly "punished" for being too nice by having Heather be his Saboteur, I decided to roll with it. This way, Heather (another one of my favorites) returns briefly and is seen in a different light, and DJ is still rewarded at the end. Basically, DJ won invincibility because he didn't have any real enemies.**

 **Speaking of DJ... his alliance with Courtney was analyzed further as well. For those of you who are confused- Courtney's confessionals were not a ruse, and she was considering voting off Sky and going along with the plan to eventually betray DJ. Her plan has always been to vote off Scarlett when she was in a good position to do so, but Scarlett's plan to the Finale is definitely one I believe she would consider. Hey, like I said earlier, these characters are imperfect. But, I wanted readers to see how much she's grown. She chose a friend over someone she could clearly beat in likeability, and she mended some bridges with Scott and Duncan. I left their ending slightly ambiguous, partially because I'm incredibly biased as to who I want Courtney to end up with (Scott, in case that wasn't made clear). I also don't want Courtney to be getting into a relationship while competing and fall into the trap that she always does. Here, during the competition, Courtney is single and making no promises to anyone.**

 **And now for the biggest surprise of all; Scarlett's reign has come to a close. She's a great villain to have, but there's only so many 'evil' acts I can place on one character before it gets stale. She's wreaked havoc, pissed some people off, and was basically responsible for the outcome of every elimination she attended. She ran the show, but there's seven other characters left that need to make some hard choices. Just because Scarlett left earlier than most anticipated doesn't mean that there won't be any drama (or that all conflicts will now be caused by Sugar).**

 **Next chapter is much less dramatic than this one, and will only include the seven campers that are left (and Chris and Chef). I will do my best to get it out promptly, so stay tuned for it!**

* * *

 **Eliminated: Harold, Topher, Anne Maria, Justin, Shawn, Brick, Jo, Cameron, Leonard, Eva, Lindsay, B, Dawn, Scarlett**


	14. Sugar, Spice, and Not-So-Nice

**At long last, a new chapter! I am so sorry for the long wait on this update! I had a bit of a writer's block with this chapter, and had to give myself a break to allow the ideas to pour in. I've had the elimination order planned out since the beginning, it was just a means of getting there. Hopefully it is worth the wait!**

* * *

 **Brainy Beetles: Courtney**

 **Brawny Beavers: DJ, Jasmine, Lightning, Sky**

 **Beautiful Butterflies: Leshawna, Sugar**

* * *

 ***Last Episode Recap***  
"Last time, on Total Drama... the eight remaining contestants got a blast from the past, but that blast hit some harder than others. The Invincibility challenge had campers attempting to hide from their former enemies. Courtney had the pleasure of facing both of her exes, while Sky spent all challenge avoiding the inevitable confrontation with Dave about Lightning. Unfortunately for us, they all made up, with Sky and Lightning now a stronger duo than ever. A miscalculation from Scarlett led to DJ winning Invincibility after befriending Heather, of all people. Dave's outburst at Sky made her a target for elimination, and Scarlett tried to convince Courtney to go back on her alliance with DJ and Leshawna. When it came down to it, Courtney remained loyal, Sky was safe, and Scarlett's reign of terror came to a close in our most shocking elimination to date. Will the alliances keep their word to each other? Or will they be at each other's throats? It's time to see for yourself, now, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"  
 ***End Recap***

* * *

The walk back to the cabins felt much longer than usual. Despite Courtney being the furthest along the path, she was walking the slowest; thinking about her decision and Scarlett's words. It didn't take long for DJ and Leshawna to catch up to her.

"Hey girl, you doing okay?" Leshawna asks.

Courtney smiles lightly and replies, "Yeah, just thinking about everything. I know getting rid of Scarlett was the best move, but I figured it'd feel... I don't know, more fulfilling?"

DJ gives her a light pat on the shoulder. "I mean, that makes sense. You two had been working together since the beginning. It probably feels weird without her here."

Courtney shrugs. "Yeah, I guess that does make things feel a little bit off. Still, I'm glad we voted for her."

Leshawna pulls the two others into a group hug. "That's what I like to hear! Just a few more weeks until Final Three!"

Courtney and DJ hug her back before continuing down the path. As they continue happily discussing their future plans for the competition, they fail to notice Jasmine looking at them from a distance.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"I've been in a safe position for the entirety of the game. But now it's getting down to the wire, and I need to be more than just safe. As much as it pains me to say it, my game can not afford to keep a trio around with so few players left. Now I just need a plan."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Sugar comes running up from behind, and greets Jasmine with a loud "HEY!", startling the Australian.

"What do you want, Sugar?" Jasmine asks in an annoyed tone.

"Not much, I saw you starin' off into space and such. What's up? Thinking' about Scarlett? Think ya made the wrong choice?"

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Wth Scarlett gone, there's not much room for me to stand on. I think it's time that ole' Sugar starts making the big moves."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Jasmine scoffs at the suggestion. "No Sugar, I don't regret it at all. Getting rid of someone so evil was the best choice we could have made. I honestly don't know how she lasted so long."

Sugar points further down the road. "It's cause of her schemin' with Courtney and such. I'm tellin' ya, we gotta keep our eyes on her!"

"Keep our eyes on who?" Sky asks. Both Jasmine and Sugar turn around to see her and Lightning walking up to meet them.

"Why, Sky, we're talking about Courtney of course!" Sugar explains. "We gotta get rid of her soon!"

Sky looks uneasy at the suggestion, while Lightning looks angry.

"Um, well..." Sky attempts to answer, only to be interrupted by Jasmine.

"That's not what I said, Sugar. I said voting off Scarlett was the right choice." Jasmine elaborates. Though it's directed at Sugar, she's looking at Sky and Lightning when she says it.

Sugar looks unamused. "Well, we should vote for her next anyway."

Lightning speaks up for the first time. "Lightning ain't voting for Courtney. She's had my back since we were on the Villains team."

Sugar rolls her eyes. "Oh come on, that's all old news."

"No, it ain't!" Lightning brashly replies back. He points directly at Sugar as he continues his speech. "Why would Lightning team up with you? You tried to get rid of me last week, and you just voted for Sky less than an hour ago! And people say _I'm_ dumb!"

Sugar looks like she's about to retort his claims, but a sudden change of heart leads her to flash the most wicked smirk she can possibly muster.

"You wanna play that way? Fine. You don't gotta like me, but I know you'll vote with me next Campfire Ceremony. Give me a few days, I'll show ya its yer' best option!"

Sugar abruptly storms off towards the cabins, leaving Jasmine, Sky, and Lightning by themselves.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"The only reason they won't vote with me is because they don't know how serious the TDI alliance is. But no matter, I'll show them all when the time is right."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"There ain't no way that Lightning is gonna team up with Sugar! And there's nothing she can say that'll change my mind!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Sky's the first to speak when Sugar's out of sight. "Lightning, you should've at least listened to what Sugar had to say."

Lightning looks shocked. "Oh come on! You two know better than anyone what she's like. Lightning ain't aligning with someone who voted for him!"

The two women look at each other in silent agreement. Despite the truthfulness in the jock's sentiment, they remain unconvinced. Finally, Jasmine speaks up.

"Look, Sugar is awful and shouldn't be trusted. We all know that. But there's seven of us left, and you two have been in the bottom the past two weeks. I'm not saying we should align with Sugar permanently, but would one week really do any harm?"

Lightning lets the words sink in, and silently pouts, not wanting to admit that Jasmine may be right. Sky looks uneasy, so Jasmine talks once more.

"All I'm asking is that you think about it. We have some time to figure it out. Sound good?"

Sky nods. "I think we should definitely give it some thought. What do you think Lightning?"

Lightning mutters out a quick 'fine' to both of them, but his aggravated expression remains.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"Honestly, I'm totally on board with getting one of the TDI campers out next. But Lightning's my partner in the game, so I can't go against him. Hopefully I can convince him to have a change of heart."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Well, it's not a guarantee, but it is a start. I had a feeling Sky would be easier to convince, since she's more strategic. Lightning's stubborn, so I may just need some more time. I'm not giving up."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Suddenly, a scream is heard through a pathway.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" The voice shouts.

Jasmine raises an eyebrow in curiosity.

"You think that's DJ?" She asks the pair.

Sky shakes her head in affirmation. "Definitely. No one else has that high-pitched of a scream. Let's go check it out."

The trio sprint down the trail and reach their cabins in no time. Or at least, what _was_ their cabins. What they find is all of their luggage and other supplies scattered around outside; the cabins themselves are now completely gone. Only three large square patches of dirt remain as a reminder of where they once were.

"What the hell happened?" Sky asks, momentarily out of breath from the running.

Leshawna turns to the new arrivals and explains, "We don't know. When we got here everything looked liked this. Something must have happened while we were at the Campfire Ceremony."

"CHRIS!" Courtney shouts to the sky, hoping that the host will hear. "Where are our cabins?! Where are we supposed to sleep?!"

Chris' voice comes on over the intercom. "Ah, I see you've reached the remnants of your cabins. Not to worry- if you look up, Chef should be lowering your new home down at any moment."

A large gust of wind prompts the contestants to look overhead. The camera moves with them to show a helicopter, manned by Chef, lowering a single cabin in the center of the empty space. Once the cabin is placed firmly on the ground, Chef flies away.

The cabin itself is a slightly larger version of the ones they've lived in all summer. The only major difference is that this one appears to have two floors, instead of the one floor they've grown accustomed too.

Chris' voice comes over the intercom once more. "Soooo yeah, having three cabins with only seven of you left was getting _really_ expensive, so we decided to consolidate. Ladies, you get the bunks on the bottom floor. DJ and Lightning, you'll be sleeping on the second floor. Got it?"

"Ummmm, excuse me? And who is going to help us with our luggage? You know, the ones _you_ threw all over the ground?" Leshawna demanded.

Chris' chuckle was heard over the speakers. "Oh Leshawna, I would never go near any of your disgusting belongings. Nope, that was all the interns' work. But they're off for the night, so... enjoy unpacking. Again. Chris out!"

A switch is heard over the intercom, indicating that Chris won't be responding anymore tonight.

"Well..." Jasmine says as she slings one of her bags over her shoulder. "The sooner we start, the sooner we can go to bed. Might as well find everything now."

The rest of the campers groan, but begin to look for their things anyway. Leshawna's luggage is the easiest to find, due to the loud leopard print. Courtney is appalled by the disorganization of her scattered toiletries. DJ's can't seem to find his duffle bag anywhere. Lightning, being the lightest packer, finds his two gym bags quickly. He picks both of them with one hand and heads over to Sky, who just found her own suitcase.

"Sky!" Lightning shouts. "You need any help? Lightning can carry a bag for you!"

Sky looks at her ally questionably as she lifts up her gym bag with ease.

"I think I'll be okay, Lightning. I'm sure someone else can use the help though." Her voice is a mix of sarcastic and playful.

As Sky joins Leshawna to head into their room, Lightning is hit with a large suitcase.

"Damn, I thought no one would ever offer! I'd hate to break one of my fingernails, I just painted them! Thanks for the offer Lightning!" Sugar yells as she waltz into the cabin.

Lightning looks baffled. "That offer was sha-not for you!" He yells to the pageant queen, but it falls on deaf ears. DJ and Jasmine start snickering at their former teammate's misfortune, which earns a grimace from Lightning.

 ***Confessional- Lightning & DJ***  
"Man, why would you offer Sky, of all people, help with carrying things? There was no way that was going to end well for you." DJ asks Lightning.

"She had a rough day, Lightning was trying to be nice!" Lightning tells him.

DJ snickers again. "I don't think that's going to work with Sky. Maybe be a little less nice and a little more you?"

"Somehow, that doesn't make Lightning feel any better."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The camera switches to the women's room, where Sky, Leshawna, and Sugar are inside. Jasmine walks in next, with Courtney immediately following her. Lightning appears next to begrudgingly drop off Sugar's suitcase before heading upstairs to his own room. DJ is right behind him.

The women all giggle as Lightning dropped off the bag. Jasmine speaks as soon as the guys are out of sight.

"Sky, mate, you gotta give the poor boy a break. He was trying to be nice." She says, trying to hold back her laughter.

"I disagree. Sky, keep being you, because that was hilarious." Courtney interjects.

Sky chuckles at this before replying. "No way, I'm not going to have him waiting on me hand and foot. Though I wouldn't mind him helping me pick up all the toiletries that are outside. I still have to find mine."

"Crap, I almost forgot about those. And we have to unpack again." Leshawna groans.

"Ugh, let's go get them. But first, since there are five of us, I volunteer to have a bunk to myself!" Sugar announces.

Courtney and Leshawna both roll their eyes. Jasmine replies, "Sure, Sugar. Whatever you say. I'm gonna go let the guys know we're heading outside."

Everyone nods in agreement at this. All of them head outside afterwards, with the exception of Jasmine, who heads upstairs.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Boy, what a great night this turned out to be! Losing Scarlett sucked, but I got Lightning to carry in my luggage and I got my own bunk bed! Things sure are looking up for Sugar!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"I think I speak for all people in the world when I say I would never volunteer to share a bunk with Sugar in any capacity."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Jasmine heads upstairs to find Lightning and DJ scanning their room. The scrunched up expression on their faces look like they're trying to solve a puzzle.

Jasmine looks around their room, but doesn't seem to find anything out of the ordinary. It's slightly smaller than the girl's room, and has two bunk beds instead of three. Other than that, it's basically a replica of their own living quarters.

Jasmine taps lightly on the door. "Hey guys, we're about to head outside to pick up all our extra things. You good to go?"

Both men nod silently, but continue to scan the room. Jasmine doubts they even heard most of her statement.

"Everything okay?" She tries again.

"Yeah, we're just... uh, DJ brought up a good point, and now we're just unsure." Lightning tries to explain.

"Huh?" Jasmine asks.

DJ elaborates before Lightning can confuse her any further. "I said that it was weird that they gave us two bunk beds, since there's only two of us left. Wouldn't we only need one?"

Jasmine's eyes go wide at the implication. "Well, maybe they just want you both to have your own bed?"

"Since when is Chris ever that nice?" DJ retorts.

Jasmine shakes her head. "Maybe they break easily and they just have both here for backup. It could mean a lot of things. Standing in your room isn't going to solve it. Come on, let's go outside."

Both guys silently agree and follow Jasmine down the stairs. Jasmine's grateful that she's in front, so that neither of them can see a worried expression on her face.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"I don't know what the extra bed set means, but I'm hoping it's just a fluke. Having so few players left means that numbers are everything, and even the slightest tilt can ruin what I've worked for. All I can do is just focus on the now."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

It takes the campers approximately two hours to collect all their missing items and unpack again. By then it's well into the night, and everyone is exhausted. They fall asleep in their new bunks shortly after.

The day afterwards is spent sleeping in and adjusting to the new space. By the next day everyone is growing accustomed to their new surroundings. All the campers are getting along, and even Sugar has been on her best behavior. This puts Courtney and Leshawna on edge, though no one else sees a reason to be too worried about it.

Their fears turn out to be justified the next morning at breakfast. Everyone is sitting at one table. On the right side sits Lightning, Courtney, and Leshawna. Across from them sits Sky, Sugar, DJ, and Jasmine.

"So, how do you guys like the new cabins?" Jasmine asks.

"Man, having a guy floor is the best thing that ever happened! It's so chill up there." Lightning tells them.

DJ laughs. "Yeah, it's been pretty great. What about all of you?"

"Well, it might be better if Sugar stopped snoring so loud." Leshawna says bitterly.

Sugar rolls her eyes. "Boo-hoo. Get over it, a lil' snoring never hurt nobody."

This time, Courtney interjects. "It's not just a 'little snoring', Sugar. You sound like an elephant it's so loud."

Sugar scoffs at this. "Well of course you would defend her!"

Courtney knows she shouldn't press further, but her anger apparently blocks out what little filter she has. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"I've been waiting for the perfect moment to expose the Total Drama Island campers, and now I finally can!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Sugar has the evilest looking grin on her face. She takes a deep breath before speaking again, her voice in a much more even tone.

"Well, Courtney, ain't it just natural to defend an alliance member? Given how long you've all been working together, I'm surprised DJ hasn't jumped in to help you too."

Courtney and Leshawna's jaws both drop in shock. DJ's face freezes up once his name is mentioned, but he can't bring himself to look at anyone.

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"I don't know what that country bumpkin is trying to accomplish here, but I do know she just became Enemy #1."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

None of them say anything, so Jasmine speaks instead.

"Sugar, I'm not sure where you're going with this, but it's unnecessary. I think everyone's noticed that they're close."

Sugar's smile just grows wider. "Well, did you know that they've been working together for weeks? As in, even while we were the Brain, Brawn, and Beauty teams?"

Jasmine's eyes go wide for a brief moment before she snaps herself back into game mode. It's so quick that no one even notices the shift. Sky just looks down at her food, processing what Sugar just told them.

Only Lightning shows any hint of surprise. "SHA-WHAT? For that long?!"

Sugar nods happily. "Yup, since Lindsay was still here, at least. Why do you think Dawn and I voted her out? They were planning on going to the Final Four together."

Leshawna visibly tenses when Lindsay's name is mentioned. If looks could kill, Courtney's glare would've murdered Sugar a hundred times over by now. DJ still has yet to comment.

"Damn..." Lightning mutters. "That's even longer than Sky and I's alli- ouch!" He is interrupted by Sky kicking him under the table, right in the shin.

Before the situation can escalate any further, Jasmine lightly laughs and tells them, "Gotta hand it to you three, that's a pretty good strategy."

Sky nods slowly. "Wish I thought of it. Though I guess I wasn't really friends with anyone outside of the Brawny Beavers."

Sugar looks appalled at their responses. "Wha- what's wrong with all of you? Ya'll are just gonna let-"

"Sugar," DJ says, for the first time since the awkward revelations began. "I'm gonna ask you to stop talking right now, for your own sake. You already have three people writing your name down at the next Campfire Ceremony. One more and you're gone."

Everyone looks shocked at DJ's bluntness. His words were cold and calculated, neither of which suit him. Even Sugar seems unnerved by it. Before anyone can reply, DJ stands up, empties his plate, and heads out of the Dining Hall.

"Well, I can still win Invincibility!" Sugar shouts behind him as an after thought. When she turns around, she finds Courtney and Leshawna standing there.

"You could," Courtney says angrily, "but we promise to do everything we can to make sure that you lose."

The two women leave immediately after that, following the path that DJ took.

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"Sugar may have started this fight, but rest assured that the TDI campers are going to finish it."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"DJ, wait up!" Courtney yells. Her voice causes DJ to cease walking and turn around, allowing his alliance members to catch up to him.

"Sorry that I didn't do more to defend us. I just didn't know what to say." DJ says with his head down.

"What? Are you kidding me? Boy, that was a prime verbal smackdown you delivered to Sugar back there." Leshawna says.

"... really?" DJ asks, confused if he heard correctly.

Leshawna nods enthusiastically. "Definitely. You scared _Sugar_ , of all people. I think everyone was impressed."

DJ smiles at this, though there is still sadness in his eyes. "Thanks, but I still doubt it will better our spots right now. We have a lot of damage control to do."

Courtney shakes her head. "Agreed, but I think we can do it. Sugar made us look bad, but she didn't make herself look great either. I'm sure we could convince Jasmine to vote with us."

"And what'll happen if she wins Invincibility?" DJ asks.

"Well, Sky and Lightning were both considered last week. If Sugar wins we can always go after them again." Leshawna suggests.

Courtney and DJ both nod. Leshawna gives them both a nudge before speaking again, a full smile panted on her face.

"Don't worry you two. We'll figure this out."

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"It's definitely not looking good right now. But I ain't giving up, not by a long shot. If I go down, I'm going down swinging."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Meanwhile, Sugar, Jasmine, Sky, and Lightning are all still inside the Mess Hall. Sugar looks incredibly satisfied with herself, Jasmine looks irritated, while Sky and Lightning both look confused.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"I'm not at all surprised that those three had an alliance for so long. I don't think anyone really is. But I was trying to be subtle about my intentions, and Sugar just ruined all of that. I need to do some serious recovery."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Sugar, you shouldn't have done that." Jasmine states.

Sugar looks shocked. "Are ya kiddin' me? Would ya rather find out about their alliance when you were outnumbered?"

Jasmine rolls her eyes. "No, but there was no need to tell _them_ everything you knew. Also, it would've been nice to know about a 3-person alliance before there was 7 people left."

"Guys, please stop." Sky interjects. "I think we can all agree that Sugar's timing was awful. But if any of us want even the slightest chance of winning, we have to vote for one of them now."

Jasmine smirks at this. "I couldn't agree more. But we're going to need everyone here to agree. What do you think, Lightning?"

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"So obviously, Lightning can't keep an alliance around that he's not apart of. On the other hand, Lightning still doesn't trust Sugar. If we're gonna do this, then we're doing it the way Lightning wants."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Lightning will vote with you, but only if we vote for Leshawna. That's the deal." Lightning states bluntly.

Sugar looks aggravated by his terms. Jasmine is seriously considering it. Sky looks incredibly worried.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"Lightning and I are in a very tricky spot right now. The only reason we haven't been targeted this week is because of the drama with the three-person alliance. So I'm not sure if Lightning's response should be to make demands of the people his safety depends on."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"I think that's reasonable." Jasmine says wearily.

"What, why? You already told us we couldn't vote for Courtney, but why not DJ? Why does it gotta be Leshawna?" Sugar questions.

"Cause Lightning ain't voting out DJ." Lightning retorts.

Jasmine adds in, "I'd... actually prefer to keep DJ in as well. He's more loyal, and Leshawna's more likely to make a big move."

"I still say we should vote out Courtney." Sugar mumbles.

"And Lightning said I ain't voting for her or DJ. Four votes send you home, and the TDI campers already said they're voting for you. You need Lightning's vote more than I need yours."

All three women look shocked at Lightning's statement. Sugar's mouth hangs wide open, and Sky's jaw is clenched with worry. Before Sugar can make anything worse, Jasmine speaks up.

"Look, there's no point in arguing about it. It doesn't really matter who goes as long as its one of those three. So it's Leshawna tonight. We can talk about other options if she wins Invincibility. Sound good?"

Sky and Lightning both nod in agreement. Jasmine gives Sugar a light nudge, causing to eventually mumble a curt "fine".

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Ugh, I was really hoping that I'd be able to convince them to vote out Courtney. DJ is still a valuable ally, and I believe I could've pulled Leshawna to my side after this vote was over. But since Lightning won't vote for anyone else, this is what I have to go with. No matter, I can work with this."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Lightning's gonna get himself into trouble if he keeps makin' all them demands. I may need his vote this week, but after that, he's Public Enemy #1. Or maybe #2... I'll see how I'm feelin'."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The camera turns back to Courtney, DJ, and Leshawna. They're deep in conversation when Chris' voice starts speaking over the intercom.

"Good morning, campers! I see today's drama has prevented most of you from finishing your breakfast. That's probably for the better. For those of you not in the Mess Hall, you might wanna head back there A.S.A.P. for your next challenge. Chris out!"

The three campers shrug and head back to the place they stormed out of less than an hour ago. Much to their concern, the other four contestants are already there.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Yeah, it isn't that hard to figure out what's going on. There's four of them and three of us, and they're all considering teaming up to vote one of us out. All we need to do is sway one person. I'm sure we can do it."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

As the seven campers get back into their seats, Chris and Chef come storming in.

"Welcome, campers, to our next Invincibility challenge! Courtesy of the one and only Chef!" Chris shouts.

"Oh god." Sky mumbles. Jasmine snickers in agreement.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"'Chef' and 'courtesy' do not belong in the same sentence. Needless to say, this challenge is going to be a nightmare."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"I bet you're all wondering why we're having this challenge in the Mess Hall." Chris says in a mocking tone.

"Because it's an eating challenge?" DJ asks.

Chris rolls his eyes. "Noooo, not because of... actually, yes, it is an eating challenge. But that, DJ, was a rhetorical question, so zip it."

The room is filled with mixed reactions at Chris' announcement of the challenge. DJ looks horrified, Jasmine and Sky seem unsure what to think, Leshawna seems hopeful, and Lightning and Courtney both have a mix of excitement and determination on their faces. But no one seems more excited than Sugar.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"An eatin' challenge? Eating has been my talent in the last six pageants I've done! I got this here challenge in the bag!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Yeah, I don't think I'm gonna do too great in this challenge. Then again, I didn't think I'd get Invincibility last challenge either, so we'll see."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"I have a pretty strong stomach, so I think I'm a good contender to win. But with the human garbage disposal that's Sugar still here, I'm not entirely confident."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris finally continues on. "Chef will explain the rest of this challenge to you."

Chef comes bursting out of the kitchen, which no one saw him go into in the first place. In his hands are a small pot and seven glasses. He speaks as he places a glass in front of each camper.

"This challenge will have 6 rounds. Each round you will be presented with one of my own creations- some good, some bad, some vile. Your challenge is to finish whatever I serve you as fast as possible. The last person to finish each round will be eliminated. _Are we clear?_ Cause I don't have time for stupid questions!"

All the campers nod silently. Chef perks up and begins to pour a murky liquid into each glass.

"Good. That means we can begin the first round, which is... a glass of pond water."

"Ew." Leshawna says curtly.

Chris speaks up. "Yes, very _ew_. Like Chef said, the last person to finish the water is out of the challenge and ineligible for Invincibility. So campers Round One starts... now! Go! Go! Go!"

Just like that, the campers all hastily pick up their glasses and begin to chug down the dirty water. Some are more successful than others.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"Gymnast training means I'm usually on a very strict diet. But if I can zone out and focus on the competition aspect of it, then I might have a shot."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"I'm never going swimming here again, that water was so... ugh!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

To no one's surprise, Sugar is the first to finish her water. Following behind her was Lightning, then Leshawna, and then Courtney.

"Only DJ, Sky, and Jasmine are left!" Chris yells. DJ finishes his water right afterwards.

"DJ's good! And the last person safe in the first round is..."

The camera shows Sky and Jasmine rushing to finish their drink. Sky begins to grow more determined, while Jasmine looks like she's struggling even more. Sky slams her glass down when she's finished, and Jasmine just pushes hers away, fully aware of her loss.

"Sky's in, Jasmine's out! Now, on to Round Two! Chef?" Chris says.

Chef brings out a large serving bowl filled with a yellow substance.

"So, I hear my scrambled eggs have been getting rave reviews this season."

"We've had worse." Courtney mutters.

Chef ignores her. "Anyway, since you all like them so much, I figured the next round will be a serving of leftover scrambled eggs..."

Lightning brightens up. "Sha-bam! That ain't too bad!"

"... from last week." Chef finishes.

"Sha- never mind." Lightning remarks.

Chef places a serving of old eggs in front of each camper. Upon closer inspection we see that there are shades of blue and green mixed in with the usual yellow.

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"Oh hell no, I don't even like the normal scrambled eggs."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Once Chris signals them to start eating, the race is back on. Sugar finishes her plate first yet again. Shortly afterwards, Courtney is also done, followed by Lightning. Sky finishes next, leaving it down to Leshawna and DJ.

"This is _disgusting."_ Leshawna comments. She has just a spoonful left now, while DJ has about a quarter of his serving left. Painfully, she shovels the last bite in her mouth to put them both out of their misery.

"And Leshawna is the last person safe! Sorry DJ, but you are ineligible for Invincibility."

DJ doesn't respond. He just presses his forehead to the table and groans.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"I don't know whether to happy that I don't have to eat anymore or sad that I can't win Invincibility. I'm leaning more towards happy."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Can we get a break please?" Leshawna pans out. You can tell she's struggling to keep the food down.

"Yeah, can we?" Sky asks.

Sugar scoffs. "I don't know whatcha all are complaining about, I feel fine!"

"Fuck off, Sugar." Leshawna pants out again.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Best challenge ever! They've fed us more meals here than they have all season! And winning Invincibility won't be too shabby neither."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris snickers at this. "Well, we're on a schedule, so I can't give you all a break... but this next round is pretty close to one. Chef?"

Chef brings out five large bowls of berries and gives each contestant one. To everyone's surprise, they look fairly normal.

"So... what's wrong with them? Are the poisonous? Do they make you sick?" Courtney asks.

"Nope, just normal berries. We told you some of them would be good. It's just in a larger portion than the others. Same goal though; last person to finish them all is out." Chris explains.

Leshawna, Sky, and Lightning all look relieved at the break round. Sugar appears to be less interested at the bowl of fruit than the other meals. For the first time in the whole challenge, Courtney looks nervous.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"My strong stomach definitely gives me an advantage with the more disgusting foods- but with eating normal foods faster? Yeah, I might be in trouble here."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Alright campers... ready, set, GO!" Chris shouts.

For the first time all challenge, Lightning is the one who finishes first, practically inhaling the berries in front of him. Sugar finishes second not too long after Lightning. Sky and Leshawna are at about the same pace, with Courtney much further behind. The former two finish in quick succession with each other.

"Sky's third to finish, followed closely by... Leshawna! Sorry Courtney, that means you're out!" Chris announces.

"Damn it!" Courtney yells.

Before anyone else can comment, Chef barges in with a steaming pizza box in his hand.

"Ooh, pizza! I thought you'd never offer!" Sugar exclaims.

Chef laughs and tells the four contestants, "I hope you're all hungry, cause I been working all day on this here pizza."

"Oh god, what's in it?" Leshawna asks.

"I call it, Chef's Dumpster Pizza." Chef announces as he lifts the lid of the pizza box. When the camera zooms in, it shows a pizza with random scraps baked in with it.

Sky's determined face drops when she hears the name. "And it's called Dumpster Pizza because...?"

Chef replies with an evil smirk, "Where do you think I got the ingredients?"

Sugar laughs at Chef's revelation, while Leshawna looks grossed out. The same can be said for Jasmine, DJ, and Courtney, who are all internally relieved that they won't be partaking. Sky and Lightning's faces, however, look to be a whole new level of traumatized.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"I don't know if I can do this, that dumpster's disgusting. I would know, I've been inside it!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Man, all Lightning can think of when he sees that pizza is the hours it took to wash off everything after the Hide and Seek challenge. And that smell- oh, Lightning's gonna be sick."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chef places a slice in front of the four contestants remaining in the challenge.

"Last person to finish their slice is out!" Chris tells them. "Ready... and... GO!"

Given the size, this challenge takes a little longer than the others. Still, it's to no one's surprise that Sugar comes in first yet again. Leshawna begrudgingly finishes second, leaving it down to Sky and Lighting. Both are struggling to finish.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"Just gotta remember, it's for the competition."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Sky finally edges out Lightning and finishes the remainder of her slice. As soon Chris declares Lightning as out, he runs to the trash can and vomits.

"Man, that was disgusting. I think that was our first vomit of the season, huh?" Chris observes.

"We'll have to change that." Chef adds in.

Chris replies, "Yes we will! Sugar, Sky, and Leshawna... congratulations, you're the last three of the challenge!"

Sugar smiles at Chris' announcement while the other two just groan.

"Just bring... next meal... already." Sky stumbles out.

"It can't possibly be worse than the pizza." Leshawna mutters.

"You silly campers underestimate me." Chris says before yelling "CHEF!" at the top of his lungs.

This time, when Chef comes barging through the kitchen door, he's not holding any food; only a blender.

"Your next meal is a smoothie... of a combination of the last four meals you had!" Chef announces.

Sugar squeals in excitement when she hears the news. Everyone else squirms in disgust.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"I know I shouldn't be happy I got out so early... but if I had to pick a challenge to be out first, I'm glad it was this one."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"On one hand, I should be scrambling to figure out the fourth vote. On the other hand, given the challenge, we very well may have a medical evacuation instead."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The camera goes back to Chef, who is loading up the blender and narrating as he goes along.

"Let's see... some berries, old scrambled eggs, extras from that pizza... and some pond water ice cubes to finish it off."

With that, he closes the lid and pushes the button to blend his concoction. The final product is puréed light brown substance. Each remaining woman is poured another glass full. When they all have their portion, Chris speaks once more.

"Aright, ladies... two of you will advance to the last round, and one will have put up with all of this for nothing. And... begin!"

With that, Sugar, Sky, and Leshawna immediately start to drink. Sugar gulps the entire thing down easily; it doesn't take her more than five seconds to do so.

"Andddd Sugar will be advancing to the final round! It's all down to Sky and Leshawna!"

The two women are pretty even in terms of the amount of smoothie they have left. Leshawna winces as her mind starts processing the taste. Sky makes the same face shortly after, and begins to pound her fist on the table as she forces herself to finish the last few sips.

The camera zooms in to show an empty glass being slammed on the table. When the shot moves up, we see that it was Sky who did it.

"And Sky is our second contestant in the final round! Sorry Leshawna, but you're out!" Chris declares.

Leshawna drops her glass on the ground as soon as her loss is announced. She spits some residue or if her mouth for added effect.

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"Boy, if there was a challenge I needed to win, it was that one. Still, I can't help but be relieved that it's over; no telling how bad that final round will be."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Wow-we! Just one more round and I win Invincibility! Sky's barely been safe in a few of these rounds, so I got this in the bag!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"Eating disgusting foods seems to be the only thing Sugar's best at. So yeah, I'm not exactly getting my hopes up."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

As the static fades, we're back to Chris, who is standing at the end of the table. Sugar and Sky are now facing each other on opposite sides.

"Alright campers, at long last we've reached the final round. Sky. Sugar. One of you will win Invincibility, the other will win nothing but a stomach full of garbage. Chef... bring out their last meal."

"Sha-damn, you don't gotta say it like they're dying." Lightning points out.

Chris shrugs. "Meh, just keeping an open mind... Chef!"

This time, Chef brings out two trays, both of which are covered. He settles them down and places his hands on each cover, pausing for dramatic effect.

"I don't think I can look." DJ tells the table of losers, squirming in his seat as they wait.

After a moment of anticipation, Chef unveils their final meal. However, instead of something overtly gross and sloppy, there's only two items on the plate; a shriveled red pepper, and a glass of milk.

Sky raises an eyebrow in confusion. "A... pepper?"

Chris smirks at the gymnast. "Oh no, not just any pepper... but a Ghost Pepper! A.K.A., one of the hottest peppers know to man."

Sky, and surprisingly Sugar, looks incredibly worried about their next meal.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"We don't got a lot of spicy foods back home. We're more known for our lard and grease. I think I ate some jalapaeno poppers before... can't be too much different, right?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"So they just have to eat a pepper? That's it?" Jasmine asks aloud.

Chris rolls his eye. "No, that's not 'just it', Jasmine. Let me do my job and explain. The winner of Invincibility will be whoever can eat the pepper and go the longest without drinking from the glass of milk in front of you. If you can't eat the pepper, or you're the first person to take a drink to cool down, you're out. Got it?"

Sugar and Sky both silently nod their heads.

"Alright... Ready... Set... EAT!"

Neither women hesitates to shove the pepper in their mouth, though the look on their faces moments later show just how uncomfortable they really are.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Sky needs to win this challenge. Sugar's the only one that I might be able to convince others to vote for."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Sky and Sugar are both struggling to keep the pepper- and its excessive heat- down in their stomachs. For the first time in the entire challenge, Sugar looks to be the same level of uncomfortable as Sky. The uncomfortable look turns into straight pain the longer the heat soaks in.

"You got this, Sky!" Lightning shouts.

"Come on Sky, earn your win!" Courtney joins in.

Sky begins to pound her fist on the table again to cope with the pain. When the heat starts to reach unbearable heights, she slowly begins to reach for the glass of milk that will mark her defeat.

That is, until Sugar beats her to it.

"Wholly cow, I can't take it no more!" The pageant queen shouts. She swiftly grabs her glass of milk and begins to chug it down in record time. Once Sugar has finished her glass, Sky begins to drink as well.

"Ah, much better." Sugar says soothly.

Chris laughs. "Glad you're feeling better Sugar, hopefully it'll make up for your crushing defeat. Congratulations Sky, you have won Invincibility!"

Sky smirks happily at the announcement of her win, though she still looks groggy from the challenge she just endured. Everyone else, with the exception of Sugar, begin cheering and congratulating her on her win.

Lightning pulls her into a hug and says, "Good job, Sky. You sha-earned it!"

"Lightning..." Sky mutters out.

"Yeah?" The jock asks hopefully.

"Please let me go before I throw up on you."

Lightning needs no more prompting and releases her immediately, much to the dismay of the campers around them.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"I was hoping Sky was turning red because Lightning made her blush. Now I'm thinking it was food poisoning."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris speaks up again. "Alright campers, enough of the show. I'll see you all tonight at the Campfire Ceremony, where Sky is safe from the vote. Use this time to think about who to vote off."

The contestants all nod silently, only sparingly quick glances at their competitors. Sky's the first camper to leave, possibly to go throw up. To no one's surprise, Lightning immediately follows after her. Jasmine and Sugar awkwardly leave shortly afterwards. Now all that remains in the Mess Hall is DJ, Leshawna, and Courtney.

Courtney breaks the ice first. "You guys know this could be it for us. For our alliance."

Leshawna lets out a deep sigh. "It was never really the same once Lindsay left. But... I'm glad I had this opportunity with you guys."

Courtney smiles back. "Me too."

DJ groans at this. "Man, you two can not just give up! We have a few hours left, I'm sure we can convince at least one person to switch their vote."

"I'm not giving up, I'm just being realistic. We got lucky with Sky's Invincibility win, so let's use it to our advantage." Courtney tells them.

"Well, now we can vote for Sugar, so let's do that. I still have some faith that we can convince Jasmine to switch her vote." Leshawna says.

"I might be able to convince Lightning...he looks ready to snap anytime Sugar speaks." DJ throws in.

"That's dangerous. Lightning won't change anything without telling Sky. You can mention it to him, but I wouldn't expect anything from it." Courtney tells him.

"Well, should we go to Jasmine first?" DJ asks them.

Leshawna sharply says. "No, that'll only remind her that us three are a team. Only one of us should go talk to her. And it's gonna be _me_."

DJ looks weary at the last part. "Why you? I mean, I was on the Brawn team with her, I think I have more pull."

Leshawna bluntly replies, "Because DJ, who do you think they're voting for? It certainly ain't gonna be their former teammate or the one who saved them two weeks in a row."

DJ and Courtney give each other a side glance, slowly processing the information. The longer it settles in, the more they realize that Leshawna's right.

When neither of them have a counter-argument, Leshawna calmly tells them both, "It has to be me, and you both know it."

 ***Confessional- Leshawna***  
"No one's gonna fight for my safety more than me. If I'm going home today, I need to know I at least did everything I could have to try and stop it."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The next scene shows the other four campers in front of their new cabin. Sky and Lightning are sitting on the steps, with Sugar and Jasmine leaning on the railings next to them. Sky still looks pretty out of it from the challenge, with Lightning gently rubbing her back to ease her discomfort.

"Alright, so we still gonna vote for Courtney tonight?" Sugar asks.

"Lightning said he'd only vote for Leshawna." Lightning said angrily.

Sugar giggles. "Shoot, I was hoping that would work."

Jasmine rolls her eyes. "Sugar, stop teasing, we've all had a long day. We're all set to vote for Leshawna tonight, right everyone?"

Everyone nods, though no one seems to thrilled at the moment.

Sky abruptly stands up and says, "That's fine with me, I really don't care right now. I think I gotta- ugh!" She grasps at her stomach and runs inside, presumably to the bathroom.

Lightning looks unsure of whether to follow her or not, until a light nudge from Jasmine encourages him to go on.

Once he leaves, Sugar stretches her arms out and announces, "I think I'm gonna go take a nap."

Jasmine nods. "Have fun. Still don't know how you feel okay after that challenge."

Sugar merely pats on her stomach and replies, "You gotta have an iron stomach to survive back home!"

"Yeah, I don't think I need to know anymore." Jasmine cringes.

Sugar just shrugs and heads inside. Jasmine's about to head in herself before she hears her name being called. She turns around to see Leshawna running up to her.

"Hey girl... can we talk?" Leshawna asks.

Jasmine gives her a sad smile. "Of course, mate. What's up?"

"It's about tonight's vote."

"Oh... well, what about it?"

Leshawna wastes no time beating around the bush. "Who are they voting for?"

"I can't tell you that." Jasmine says uneasily.

Leshawna sighs. "You don't have to, I know it's me. I just wanted to see if you would say it. Or if you would lie."

Jasmine thinks about denying it, but she knows there's no use at this point. So instead she just says, "I'm sorry."

"You know there's another option."

This peaks Jasmine's interest. "Which would be?"

"Vote with Courtney, DJ, and I to take out Sugar. I know it might not seem it right now, but she's way too dangerous and unpredictable of a player to keep around."

Jasmine thinks about this for a moment before replying. "I'm not gonna lie, it is tempting. But I can't give you a guarantee either way."

Leshawna nods, knowing beforehand that was as good of an answer as she was going to get. "I understand. Honestly, I wouldn't believe you if you did give me a guarantee."

"But I promise I'll think about it."

Leshawna takes a deep breath before saying her final piece. "That's all I ask. I know you're gonna do what you think is best for you, and my input won't convince you either way. But Jasmine, please know that if you keep Sugar around for much longer, you're going to regret it."

Jasmine pauses at this, thinking about her experiences with Sugar, especially last season. Not wanting to give anything away, she merely replies "I'll keep that in mind."

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"So I can go with the original plan to vote off Leshawna, or I can vote off Sugar. The final decision comes down to me, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Leshawna's right, I'm going to make the choice that's best for me, and me only."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

* * *

 _*Campfire Ceremony*_  
"Campers, welcome to the latest Campfire Ceremoney!" Chris announces.

The campers are all sitting close together due to the dwindled size. No one looks happy tonight, for one reason or another.

Chris frowns at the lack of response. "Gotta say, you all look awful. Usually at least one of you cocky bastards look a little smug. But no one looks worse than Sky, who ironically has Invincibility. So Sky, you get the first marshmallow tonight."

Sky, looking no better than she did a few hours before, doesn't even attempt to catch her marshmallow.

"The next camper that is safe is... Jasmine. And then... Lightning."

Chris tosses marshmallows to the announced contestants, both of whom catch their marshmallows easily.

"Following them is... DJ, and... Courtney."

The duo both happily grab their marshmallows, but are saddened to look over and see their ally empty-handed.

The camera momentarily focuses on Leshawna and Sugar before turning back to Chris. He starts speaking once the camera is focused on him.

"Sugar and Leshawna, our last two Beautiful Butterflies. You are our bottom two tonight. Leshawna, your game got blown up by Sugar telling everyone about your alliance. Sugar, you've been a pain to Leshawna and the other campers for weeks now. And our sole surviving Beauty camper, the one to receive the last marshmallow, will be..."

The dramatic music plays once more, building the suspense between the two. Leshawna looks to her alliance members, then to Sugar, and then to Jasmine. Jasmine appears to be incredibly nervous. Sugar just looks angry. Finally, Chris announces the name of the safe contestant.

"...Sugar."

Sugar jumps up and hollers in celebration. She snatches her marshmallow from Chris and continues her boisterous attitude. Everyone else, including the three that voted with her, look devastated.

Chris turns to Leshawna and speaks again. "Sorry Leshawna, but you've been eliminated. If it makes you feel any better, literally no one wanted this. We actually considered rigging the votes."

Leshawna chuckles at this, and then stands up from her spot.

"I can't be mad at anyone, I'm proud of how I played." She proclaims confidently.

Chris solemnly nods and tells her, "Time to say your goodbyes."

Leshawna gives him a sad smile before turning to say goodbye to everyone. She doesn't even bother with Sugar. Lightning and Sky both receive light hugs. Jasmine gets a tighter one, followed by the words, "No hard feelings."

DJ and Courtney are pulled into a group hug by their ousted ally. When the hug dissolves, she looks them both in the eyes and gives them her final message.

"Do what you have to do."

We don't see their reactions, as the next scene is Leshawna being placed in the Slingshot of Defeat.

"Any final pearls of wisdom, Leshawna?" Chris asks.

Leshawna turns to the remaining contestants and gives them all a genuine smile.

"Good luck to all of you, and thanks for the fun times. Jasmine, remember what I told you."

Jasmine gives her a firm nod. A moment later Chef releases the Slingshot and sends Leshawna off.

The camera turns to the campers, who all seem to have bittersweet feelings about the night. Finally, the camera turns to Chris for his final message.

"Another day, another ousted favorite! Will DJ and Courtney get over losing their ally? Will Sky get over her food poisoning? We'll find out on our next episode, of Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"

 **•End of Episode Thirteen•**

* * *

 **And now, our TDI trio is officially a duo. Though to be honest, DJ and Courtney have always been a duo in this story... now it's just more official. This was Jasmine's chapter to put some effective strategizing to good use, and I think she made the right choice game wise. Sugar may have been the one to call people out, but Jasmine laid the groundwork for Leshawna's eventual elimination. And, as she predicted, she ended up being the deciding vote in it all.**

 **Here is the voting lineup:**  
 **Courtney- Sugar**  
 **DJ- Sugar**  
 **Jasmine- Leshawna**  
 **Leshawna- Sugar**  
 **Lightning- Leshawna**  
 **Sky- Leshawna**  
 **Sugar- Leshawna**

* * *

 **Part of this chapter's purpose was to address just how much was known about the TDI alliance. It was clear that Sugar knew almost everything, but I wanted the readers to know how aware (or unaware) the other campers were to it. Basically, they knew that there was some type of partnership, just not that they've had this alliance for so long. Jasmine had an idea, but again, was not fully aware of the seriousness of it. Sky and Lightning were probably the most in the dark about the alliance, but given how close they are, they can't really be too upset about it.**

 **As for their reactions, I think they made sense given the context. Sugar is a good villain, but she also has a huge flaw in her lack of hindsight. She was expecting a lot more drama to occur by revealing the seriousness of the TDI alliance, and that's not what happened. Unfortunately for her, Jasmine, Sky, and Lightning are showing a higher level of maturity here. They were able to respect the others' gameplay, but recognize that they needed to take actions themselves. Now Leshawna is gone, but Sugar's position in the game really hasn't improved.**

 **The major reason it was a TDI camper going home was because it was the perfect moment for Jasmine** **to strike, as we saw in the beginning of the chapter. She knew that, with 7 contestants left, having a 3-person alliance is no good, as that's almost half the players. One of the three had to go, and Leshawna was in the worst social position. As I said before, DJ has made the strongest connections out of anyone there, so I don't think he's an ally that Jasmine would easily give up on.**

 **While sending home Courtney over Leshawna would've certainly been the more shocking of the two, I didn't think it would add up with the interactions Courtney's had with Sky and Lightning. Yes, they're both competitive and would probably have voted off Courtney if they had to, but they have a certain degree of loyalty to her that doesn't exist with Leshawna. Courtney bonded with Sky over having to deal with their exes last challenge, and she chose to align with Lightning while they were on the Villains team. So while they can't pretend the TDI alliance never happened, they can at least keep the players they trust more.**

 **Another reason I took out Leshawna at this point was because while I wanted her to go far, I didn't want it to feel like she was losing momentum in this story. I love her character, but Leshawna's already a strong, well-rounded player, and the other six contestants have more storyline left. In this story, Leshawna was best when she was the leader of the Beauty team. I want to keep that impression of her, rather than derail all of her great work with some unnecessary blunder to justify her elimination.**

 **Unlike this chapter, the next one is all planned out. I am really excited for this upcoming one. Remember the special chapters I mentioned in 'The Devil You Sew'? 'EX-treme Paintball Deer Hunter' was one of them, and this next chapter will be the second one.**

 **As an apology for the long wait for this chapter, I'll give you the title of the next one- it's called 'All's Fair in Love and Pairs'. It does hint at what's to come, but not by much.**

 **Please continue to favorite, follow, and review on this chapter and the work as a whole. Also, some readers have been telling me their predictions for the work, which I highly encourage! I absolutely love hearing from you all, so please keep it up!**

 **Stay beautiful, I'll do my best to post soon!**  
 **~VintageMadame**

* * *

 **Eliminated: Harold, Topher, Anne Maria, Justin, Shawn, Brick, Jo, Cameron, Leonard, Eva, Lindsay, B, Dawn, Scarlett, Leshawna**


	15. All's Fair in Love and Pairs

**Going to be honest with you all: this chapter is very long, and has a lot going on in the content. So let's get right to it; I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

 **Brainy Beetles: Courtney**

 **Brawny Beavers: DJ, Jasmine, Lightning, Sky**

 **Beautiful Butterflies: Sugar**

* * *

 ***Last Episode Recap***  
"Last time, on Total Drama... just when the power dynamics appeared to be set in stone, everything changed before our very eyes. The campers received new living quarters, leading the guys to question the bed-to-camper ratio. DJ, Leshawna, and Courtney were still going strong with their three-person alliance. Well, they _were_ , until some scheming from Jasmine and an outburst by Sugar ruined it all. After Lightning and Sky begrudgingly sided against the trio, the TDI alums knew their only hope would be to take out Sugar. Unfortunately for them, their latest challenge was an eating contest. But luck had a change of heart at the final round, when Sugar couldn't take the heat and Sky snatched Invincibility for herself. Jasmine became the deciding vote between Leshawna and Sugar, and received a final warning from Leshawna about how dangerous Sugar is. In the end, she decided that a trio was more dangerous than a single, and Leshawna was sent packing. Can Jasmine maintain her power position? Will the pairs be spared? The answer may surprise you... now, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"  
 ***End Recap***

* * *

The setting of the first scene is, of all places, the girls' communal bathroom. We see Sky and Courtney in there, with Sky hunched over a toilet. She's been throwing up for awhile and doesn't show any signs of slowing down. Courtney is holding up her hair for her as she continues to vomit.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"My stomach did _not_ agree with all the food from the last Invincibility challenge. Hopefully I'll be over it soon, but right now it feels like torture."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

After another minute or so, Sky begins to dry heave, an indicator that she's done for now. Courtney gives her a light rub on the back as she stands up and flushes the toilet.

"Thanks for helping me out." Sky tells Courtney.

Courtney rubs her back again. "It's really no problem. Not as much of a competition if you're too sick to compete, right?"

Sky laughs with as much energy as she can muster, which isn't much. "Yeah I guess you- oh god!"

Her response is interrupted by her stomach acting up again, and she immediately runs back to the toilet. Courtney sighs lightly before resuming her place, once again holding up Sky's hair.

Suddenly, Lightning comes bursting in the bathroom.

"Is Sky okay?!" Lightning asks frantically.

"Don't let him see me. Not like this" Sky whispers to Courtney. Courtney nods in understanding before shouting back to Lightning.

"She's fine! More or less the same. Food poisoning usually lasts around 24 hours or so, so she should feel better tomorrow."

Lightning doesn't appear to be very happy with that answer, but still complies. "Sha-okay, but Lightning brought her some water and- wait, where'd it go?"

The jock begins to frantically search his clothes. Not a moment too soon, DJ comes barging through the door with water bottles in his hands.

"Hey man, you forgot these before you ran off. You know, the whole reason you came here?" DJ says, his voice full of amusement.

Despite knowing they can't see her through the stall, Courtney rolls her eyes at the banter. She quietly tells Sky that she'll be back in a moment, and gently places her hair down to go meet with the guys.

She grabs the water from DJ and tells them bluntly, "Thanks, Sky will need these. But I think you guys should head out. She only needs one other person here, and this is the _girls_ ' bathroom."

Lightning looks dumbfounded. "Sha-wait, they separate the bathrooms by _gender_ here?"

"Um, yes?" DJ wearily replies.

"Sha-damn, Lightning thought they just had two bathrooms for convenience."

Courtney raises an eyebrow. "Are you serious? I've literally only seen you use the guys' bathroom."

"Duh, it's always so much cleaner! Only DJ and I have been using it the past few weeks. But now that Lightning's thinking about it, that makes a lot more sense now."

Sky can be heard cackling gently through the stall.

"Lightning... only you." She observes.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"Yeah, Lightning has a lot of... quirks, to say the least. But how can you not smile when he's around?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Lightning grabs the water bottles back from Courtney and heads over to Sky. He lightly taps on the stall before he speaks

"Um, Sky? Lightning really wants to help you out right now. Is it okay if I swap with Courtney? I just feel like I should be helping out more."

Despite DJ and Courtney thinking the speech is cute, they can't help but feel like they're intruding.

Finally, Sky answers back. "... Okay. But I look really gross right now. Fair warning."

DJ and Courtney are out the door as soon as they get the okay from Sky.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"I know I'm not exactly an expert in this area, but I think Sky and Lightning are really good for each other. I mean, you can practically see Lightning becoming a better person. Definitely not smarter, but better."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Man, those two are adorable. Sky's got someone to take care of her when she's sick, and Lightning's learning about... gender, I guess? Either way, modern-day romance at its finest."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

As DJ and Courtney leave the bathroom, they are met face-to-face with Jasmine.

"How's Sky holding up?" She asks nervously.

"She's okay, all things considered." DJ answers. "Where's Sugar?"

Jasmine shrugs. "Not sure, probably back at the cabins. But it's for the best; I wanted to talk to you both."

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"As nice as it would've felt to vote off Sugar, Leshawna was the best choice in the long run. But now I need to make sure I'm on good terms with her allies. Of everyone left, they're the best chance I have at a decent partnership."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Is it about tonight's vote?" DJ asks nervously.

Jasmine shakes her head 'yes'. "I'm sorry that I voted out Leshawna. I don't regret the choice, but I also don't want either of you to think that I have any ill will towards you."

DJ smiles at her, but only slightly. "Given the circumstances, I can't blame you. I'm just glad it wasn't me."

Courtney adds in, "Same here. With Sugar voting, I figured there was a strong chance of me going home."

Jasmine chuckles. "Honestly, she was very adamant about voting for you first. But Lightning said he wouldn't vote with her unless it was Leshawna. Now I'm glad he did."

Courtney nods while she processes the information. "I'm glad he did too."

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"After tonight's vote, it'd be easy to assume that DJ and I are at the bottom of the pecking order. But things are a lot more complicated than that, and I plan on taking advantage of it."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Jasmine turns to face the two allies and decides to just cut to the chase. "Actually, I was hoping we could work together for the next vote. And after that as well, if you're up to it."

DJ and Courtney look at each other with a smile.

"What were you thinking in terms of votes?" Courtney asks.

Jasmine takes a deep breath. "I can't lie, voting for Sugar is incredibly tempting. But... there's also an incredibly dangerous pair still here. I worry about letting them get any farther."

"Sky and Lightning." DJ clarifies.

Jasmine nods slowly. "DJ, you more than anyone know I care about them. Us four went through a lot on the Brawny Beavers. But here, at this stage... we can't keep them both around for much longer."

DJ looks uneasy. "I... don't know. I realize this is part of the game, but... this doesn't feel right. I mean, we're basically splitting up a couple we helped get together."

"You can't think of it on a personal level." Courtney interjects. "In the game, they are an iron-clad alliance. They'll always choose each other over anyone else."

Jasmine shakes her head in agreement. "Believe me, I won't be upset to see Sugar go either. But I think we should put some serious thought into it."

Courtney nods. "Agreed."

After a long pause, DJ finally says a simple "Okay" in return.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"I don't know man, part of me feels like we should take out Sugar first. But I can't lie, they do have a point about Sky and Lightning."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"I totally understand where DJ's coming from. But Sky and Lightning are threats _on their own_. As a duo, at this stage in the game... something's gotta give."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The next shot is the trio walking into the doorway of their cabin. DJ heads upstairs as the ladies walk into their room. Just as Jasmine guessed, Sugar is there and sound asleep.

As Jasmine and Courtney are finishing up getting ready for bed, they hear a knock on the door. Jasmine opens it to find Sky, leaning on Lightning's shoulder for support. With Jasmine's help Sky is tucked into her bed for the night (albeit with a trash can beside her) as Lightning goes upstairs. 20 minutes later, everyone is sound asleep.

The next two days are more or less the same. Just as Courtney predicted, Sky stops throwing up around the 24 hour mark. However, everyone can tell she still hasn't fully recovered.

With so few campers left, everyone feels as if they're in competition limbo. While they are all getting along, they also remain aware of the looming competition and Campfire Ceremony. Given how slim the options are, it's needless to say the campers are on edge.

These feelings reach their peak on the third day, where the contestants are awakened to the usual blaring alarm. With varying degrees of annoyance, all six campers quickly do their morning routine before heading to breakfast.

There's an awkward air between everyone as they sit down in the dining hall. Facing the door sits Jasmine, Courtney, and DJ, while Sugar, Lightning, and Sky are across from them.

DJ is the one to break the silence. "Sky, you're looking a lot better lately. Food poisoning going away?"

Sky smiles slightly as she responds. "Thanks DJ. And yeah, I'm feeling a lot better, though I still don't have much of an appetite."

Jasmine jokingly throws in, "Understandable. I haven't had much of an appetite since the competition started."

The five other campers snicker at this, glad to still have some humor during such an intense time. However, the jokes are brought to an abrupt halt when Chef's voice comes on over the intercom.

"Don't think I didn't hear that, Jasmine!"

"Sorry, Chef!" Jasmine sheepishly apologizes.

Chef responds, "Meh, whatever. Anyway.. campers, head over to the docks _immediately_. Chris and I have some... heh heh... _things_ to return to you. Over and out!"

The intercom turns off before any the campers get the chance to talk back. They look around at each other nervously.

Courtney suddenly stands up and says, "Well, better get to the docks. Chef did say 'immediately'."

Everyone complies with this, although they're still terrified of what is to come.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"I don't know what Chris and Chef plan on 'returning' to us, but I know I don't want it."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

When they all reach the dock, they aren't surprised to see Chef and Chris' standing at the edge waiting for them. They are surprised, however, to not find anything else with them.

"So... where did'ja put the surprise? I was so excited for it!" Sugar squealed.

Chris and Chef look at each other with excitement before turning their attention back to the campers. Chris speaks first.

"Well, hello to you too Sugar. As for the surprise... we'll, it's part of your challenge, which we will get to in a moment. But before we elaborate, we're going to need you all to pair up."

"What? Why?" Jasmine asks.

Chef interjects. "Did we say you could ask questions?! It's for the challenge, so pair up or square up!"

Jasmine mutters out a quiet "Yes sir," before turning to her competitors. Courtney and DJ step aside, indicating that they will be partners. Jasmine begrudgingly pulls Sugar to her side as she nudges Sky towards Lightning.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Boy, did I hit the jackpot this challenge! Havin' Jasmine as my partner is a sure fire way to Invincibility!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"DJ and Courtney working together is almost as obvious as Sky and Lightning... almost. The more each pair works together, the more obvious of threats they are. If working with Sugar for a challenge means that I'm closer to the million, then so be it."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Um, so... Lightning, wanna be partners?" Sky asks nervously.

"Sha-yes!" Lightning shouts a little too loudly. "I mean... yeah, sure."

Sky stands beside Lightning happily. However, after one look at the three pairs, Chris shakes his head in annoyance.

"Oh no, no no no no no no no. These pairs will not do. Jasmine, switch with Courtney. And Lightning... switch with DJ. There we go, perfect."

The camera turns to the new pairs. On the left is Courtney and Sugar, who look absolutely pissed. DJ and Sky are in the center, and appear to be content with the switch. Jasmine and Lightning are standing to the right, their faces reading a mix of confidence and excitement.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Seriously?! Of all the people to pair me with! I don't even know what the challenge is yet, and I already hate everything about it."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"I can't be too disappointed in the pair switch-up. Sky and I won the past two Invincibilities, so hopefully we can continue the streak."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"So obviously, Lightning wanted to pair up with Sky. But Jasmine is really strong and athletic, so I say we got Invincibility in the bag! Sha-bam!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris and Chef both take a final look at the pairs. With a contented sigh, Chris begins to speak again.

"Now that we have our pairs, we can move forward with the challenge. Campers, not gonna lie, this season has been _intense._ We've spared no expense to ensure your time in the competition is as dramatic as possible. But _nothing_ has been as emotional as the Campfire Ceremonies. So far, we've eliminated 15 campers throughout 12 Campfire Ceremonies that featured tie-breakers, blindsides, and heartfelt moments. And now, we're giving a select few campers the chance... to get back in the game!"

"What?!" The six remaining campers shout in unison.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Boy, I sure do hope they bring back Scarlett! Or the wizard! They hate Courtney, and would definitely help me get rid of her!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"I worked too hard to get to the Final Six just for some losers to knock down my placement! I don't want anyone returning, except _maybe_ Leshawna... or Lindsay... or Cameron. Wow, I've been a lot nicer this season."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"I can't lie, I'd love to have Shawn return to the game. But that's a best-case scenario... everyone else has the potential to throw off the numbers."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Sha-what?! You can't do that! They lost, fair and square!" Lightning exclaims to the host.

Courtney throws in, "Seriously! You're just gonna let someone that's already out waltz back into the game?"

Chris snickers. "That's rich, coming from you Courtney. And _no_ , they will not just 'waltz into the game'."

"What do you mean?" DJ asks.

"I said they would have the chance to return, didn't I? Whether they actually do return or not depends on you. That is, whether or not you beat them in the challenge. Three pairs will be returning to face off against you. If one of the returning pairs win the challenge, then they get to come back. If one of your pairs win, then no one returns." Chris clarifies.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"I'm not for anyone returning to the game. But if we're competing against them, then I'm not too worried. They lost for a reason, right?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"You said three pairs right? So who are the pairs?" Jasmine asks cautiously.

"Do we get to pick them? Cause I got some suggestions!" Sugar questions as she glares at her assigned partner.

Chris shakes his head no. "Oh Sugar, when have we ever given you a choice? No, these pairs are already selected, but they should be easy to figure out."

"And why is that?" Courtney asks.

Chris looks at her with an expression that just screams 'try me'. "Remember how I said the Campfire Ceremonies were the most dramatic part of the season? Well, what's more shocking than a double elimination?"

Realization hits the six campers' faces hard.

"Oh no." DJ says aloud.

Chris smirks. "Oh yes. But I'd save your shock for another time, because your competitors are arriving now!"

The camera now turns to focus on the lake. In the distance we can see three small motor boats, a fair amount of distance between each of them. Chris continues to talk as the first one gets closer to the dock.

"Eliminated after the third challenge, our first set of returnees are none other than Anne Maria and Justin!"

The first boat reaches the dock, with Anne Maria behind the wheel and Justin looking frazzled. After they fix their hair, both step off the boat with smirks plastered on their faces.

"Long time, no see." Anne Maria tells the group.

 ***Confessional- Justin & Anne Maria***  
"Yeah, we're kinda over this season, seeing how it's been weeks since we left." Justin tells the camera.

"But this appearance means we get extra screen time, so we intend on causing as much drama as we can." Anne Maria throws in.  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The second boat now comes into view, going at a speed that can hardly be considered safe.

"Eliminated just two challenges later, we have our notorious lovebirds... Brick and Jo!" Chris announces.

The boat reaches the dock to reveal a determined Jo aggressively parking it. Brick looks absolutely terrified, but this immediately switches to relief once it's clear that Jo didn't kill them with her recklessness. Jo jumps triumphantly out of the boat, and then offers her hand out to Brick. He happily accepts it, albeit with a blush on his face.

"It's good to be back." Brick says nervously. Jo smiles proudly. It's not lost on anyone how she is still holding onto Brick's hand.

"Sha-bam! That's what I'm talking about!" Lightning declares. He pretends to be ashamed at his excitement when he sees the disappointed looks of the five campers still in the game. No one buys it.

 ***Confessional- Jo & Brick***  
"Despite our crazy start, things have been going... amazing." Brick says.

Jo nods in agreement. "Yeah, we've been so happy. And now we have a chance to get back in the game! With this many Brawny Beavers still around, I'd say it's the perfect time too."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The third boat is now coming up, but the announcement isn't necessary, given the recency of their elimination.

Chris makes the announcement anyway. "And now, our most recent victims of the double elimination, kicked out right before the merge, it's... B and Dawn!"

The boat reaches the dock to show B driving and Dawn sitting cross-legged behind him. They get out of their boat easily, though they look to be the most nervous of the three pairs.

"It's nice to see you all again." Dawn tells them quietly. B nods in agreement.

 ***Confessional- B & Dawn***  
"While our gameplay had certainly improved from our first season, I'm not happy with being out before the merge. We're going to win our spots back, and prove to everyone once and for all that we deserve to be here." Dawn declares.

B gives the camera a thumbs up.  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The three returning pairs are now lined up to directly face the pairs that are still in the game. Chris and Chef are clearly enjoying the intensity between the two sides. A few minutes later, Chris decides it's time to break the silence.

"Alright, well, it's time to begin the fight for Invincibility! Here's how today will go; each of the returning pairs will face off against one of the assigned pairs. Winners will advance to the final round. Lose, and you're ineligible for Invincibility or the right to return. Winners of the final round will win Invincibility. If a returning pair wins, they will return to the game and also be safe from the vote tonight; however, they will not be able to vote themselves."

"Sounds fair," Jo says, "I'm sure we can give up the vote for one week." She adds in as she fist bumps with Brick.

Lightning smirks at his former teammates. "Bring it on, Jo. Jasmine and I aren't gonna let you win that easily."

Jasmine beams proudly at Lightning's proclamation.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"I was a little worried that Lightning would try to throw the challenge so that Jo and Brick could come back. Good to see he hasn't completely softened up."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Yeah, Lightning is definitely happy to see Jo again. But that don't mean I'm gonna let them win! I still plan on winning this season, and more people means more competition!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"So, which pairs are going first?" Sky asks Chris and Chef.

"And what exactly will the challenge be?" Dawn adds in.

Chris smirks at the questions. "Well, the pair-ups have already been chosen. And Dawn, I'm glad you asked. Each returning pairs should remember their challenges very well... because it'll be the challenge that you were eliminated in!"

"Nooo!" Anne Maria shouts.

"Yes!" Jo yells happily.

Chris' smile only grows wider. "Yup, And Chef will be the referee for each of them, so no funny business. Chef, care to announce the match-ups?"

Chef happily pulls out his clipboard. "First up will be Anne Maria and Justin against... Jasmine and Lightning. All of you, go change into your swimsuits, because it's time for a chicken fight!"

Jasmine and Lightning both look excited for the challenge. Justin and Anne Maria... not so much.

Ten minutes pass before the dueling pairs return, properly suited up for the challenge. The ring of buoys have returned, as their arena. Anne Maria and Justin take one side of the ring, while Jasmine and Lightning take the other side. Anne Maria sits on top of Justin's shoulders easily. After some heavy debating, it's decided that Jasmine will sit on Lightning's shoulders.

The camera now turns to focus on Chef, who is now wearing a proper referee uniform. After everyone is settled in, he starts the challenge.

"Alright campers, it's the same rules as last time. First one to hit the water loses. Now, get ready... set... attack!"

Jasmine and Lightning waste no time in charging towards the opposing pair. To everyone's surprise, Anne Maria and Justin hold their ground. The match is in a dead lock for awhile before campers start cheering them on.

"Come on, Jasmine! Push her in!" Courtney yells.

"Damn, Brightning, when did you get so weak?" Jo teases.

The cheers and jabs begin to fall on deaf ears, until Sky decides she's had enough. She stands at the very edge of the dock, cups her hands around her mouth, and shouts with everything she has.

"COME ON LIGHTNING! YOU GOT THIS, YOU'RE STRONGER THAN THEM, YOU BOTH ARE!"

The contestants on the dock seem rather surprised by Sky's outburst, as she's been rather quiet for the majority of the day.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"My Brawny Beaver teammates mean a lot to me. They didn't hold my past over my head, and they want to see me happy, despite being in a competition. But no one has been there for me more than Lightning. The least I can do is cheer him on in a challenge."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Back in the water, we see Lightning look more determined than ever after hearing Sky. However, he's not the only one that heard her.

"Aww, nice to see your girlfriend is cheering you on." Justin taunts.

"Not my girlfriend." Lightning states. "She's my teammate."

"Funny, I thought the teams were dissolved." Justin replies.

"Shut up, Justin." Jasmine interjects.

Anne Maria responds, "Don't worry Jasmine, I'm sure Shawn would've cheered you on too... ya know, of he was still _here_."

Jasmine becomes visibly more aggressive at the mention of Shawn's name. Instead of going for her arms, Jasmine moves to grad Anne Maria by the hair. With one more shove, the Jersey girl is in the water. Lightning throws a startled Justin in for good measure.

"Anne Maria and Justin are down... Congrats to Lightning and Jasmine, you will move on to the Final Round!" Chef declares.

The campers all cheer at the announcement as both pairs come swimming to the docks. As the losing duo get out of the water, Chris approaches them.

"Justin and Anne Maria... you lost the challenge, so you have no chance of returning to the game. Can't say I'm sorry about that, but since it looked like there was a lot of trash talking going on, I'll let you stay until the challenge is over. Keep it up."

Anne Maria and Justin both nod happily at Chris' words, since all they wanted was more screen time anyway.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Boy, I'm just glad Justin and Anne Maria aren't coming back, since I did help them get eliminated and all. What's better, Sky made such a fool of herself cheerin' on Lightning during the match. If that didn't get people thinkin' about splitin' them up, then I don't know what will!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

With the first round out of the way, Chef shouts out new instructions. "Alright, head your sorry butts to the gymnasium, it's time for Round Two! Jo and Brick, you'll be facing... DJ and Sky in dodgeball!"

"Woohoo!" Jo hollers excitedly. Brick also seems to be pretty amused.

"Nooooo!" DJ yells. Sky pats him on the back as a sign of comfort.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"I think DJ and I were both hoping to get the balance beam round with Dawn and B. Nothing sounds more violent than Jo with a dodgeball and something to prove."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

All of the campers are now in the gymnasium. Jo and Brick are on the left side of the court, while DJ and Sky are on the right. All four of them are staring intensely at the center of the court, where four dodgeballs are lined up horizontally.

The rest of the campers are sitting on the bleachers. Lightning and Courtney are sitting at the far right, ready to cheer on their closest allies. Jasmine and Sugar are sitting on the opposite side of them, strategically picked by Jasmine. B and Dawn are two rows behind Jasmine and Sugar, while Justin and Anne Maria are right in the center.

Chef walks up to the center of the court to announce the next round. "Time for Round Two! Again, same rules as last time we played. You get hit, you're out. You catch the ball in the the air, the thrower is out and you can bring your partner back in the game. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Chef!" The competing duos yell.

Chef gives them a curt shake of the head. "Excellent. This round starts... NOW!"

Immediately, Chef backs up off the court so that the pairs can grab the balls. Each camper grabs one before running back to their starting point. They're at a stalemate before they hear Anne Maria and Justin from the sidelines.

"Come on, this is so boring! Do something!" Justin shouts.

"For real! I've seen paint dry faster than this!" Anne Maria adds in.

An aggravated Jo throws her dodgeball _at them,_ which they were clearly not expecting. She goes to retrieve her ball and yells, "Enough from the peanut gallery!"

 ***Confessional- Justin***  
"Who knew causing drama could be so dangerous? That ball could've left a bruise!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

When Jo comes back, the game really starts to get into high gear. Sky finally makes a throw, which just barely misses Brick. Jo retaliates with a throw of her own, only for Sky to duck at the last second.

It goes back and forth for awhile, which gives Jasmine and Sugar plenty of time to discuss gameplay.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Right now, everyone is distracted by the prospect of returning players. Even if people return, we should be aiming to get either Sky or Lightning out. Unfortunately, that means I'll need Sugar's vote."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Jasmine starts the conversation. "Sugar, I'm about to tell you some vital info. It could be key to you staying this week."

Sugar raises her eyebrow in interest. "I'm listening."

Jasmine takes a deep breath. "There's been... talk, about voting out Sky or Lightning next. And... I feel it's the right move."

Sugar sports a wicked smile on her face. "Well, it's about damn time, I'll tell you that much. Yeah, I'll vote with y'all. Just let me know which one."

Jasmine responds, "Of course... oh, and obviously, don't tell anyone about this. We're trying to keep this under wraps."

Only two rows behind them, Dawn and B can hear everything, which Jasmine and Sugar fail to realize.

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"Jasmine seems pretty confident in her plans, which means she probably has more power than anyone realizes. Perhaps the biggest threat isn't a duo after all?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Sugar rolls her eyes as she replies to Jasmine. "Obviously. I mean, just look at those two." She points to Courtney and Lightning on the other side of the benches. "No doubt they're schemin' about their next move."

Jasmine rolls her eyes. "Sure, Sugar."

When the camera zooms in on Lightning and Courtney, it turns out they aren't scheming at all, but cheering for DJ and Sky in the seemingly endless dodgeball game.

"DJ, watch your right!" Courtney screams.

DJ does as he's told and just barely misses a ball thrown by Jo. Sky catches a ball thrown by Brick, which means Brick is out for now.

"Good catch, Sky! Sha-keep it up!" Lightning yells.

Courtney smirks at him. "I'm surprised you're not rooting for Jo too."

Lightning shrugs. "Na, Lightning wants the Final Six to stay the Final Six. Jo gets it. Besides, I can't go against Sky."

Courtney takes a gulp at the last sentence. "Yeah, I can see that."

"Hey, speaking of which, who are you and DJ voting for tonight? I mean, if they don't win Invincibility."

"I don't know yet. I'm keeping all my options open." Courtney bluntly responds.

Lightning continues on. "Sky was saying how she thinks we should finally get rid of Sugar. Lightning thinks it's a good idea, so I figured I'd let you know too."

There's a brief pause in the conversation as Courtney thinks about what to say next. "I'll think about it at least. But there are only six options of who to vote for, four if one of our pairs win Invincibility. Just remember that."

Lightning's face becomes much more serious looking after that. He nods to Courtney and smoothly replies, "Lightning will. You too. Hopefully one of our pairs wins Invincibility."

The faintest smile shows on Courtney's face as she says back, "Yeah, I hope so."

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Lightning and I both understand that the competition comes before friendship. If he survives the next vote, at least he'll know I didn't lie to him."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Back on the court, it seems like a lost cause for Jo. She's all by herself, while Sky and DJ appear to be more in sync with each other than ever.

"DJ, aim high!" Sky shouts. DJ does just that. Sky aims low, hoping that at least one of the balls hits Jo. Unfortunately for them, that's not what happens.

Jo jumps in the air, her feet narrowly missing contact with Sky's ball. She catches the one DJ threw before she falls to the ground. Despite her less than graceful landing, the ball remains securely tucked in her arms.

"DJ's out, Brick's back in!" Chef yells.

DJ sulks off the court, upset that their rhythm got thrown off. Brick wastes no time running back into the court. But instead of speaking with Jo, he grabs the first ball he sees and whips it towards Sky.

It's a direct hit to her legs. The game's over before DJ's even gotten fully off the court. It takes awhile for everyone to process it; even Chef seems confused.

"What... what just happened?" DJ asks.

Chef snaps back out of his daze to make the final call. "Uh... Sky's out with a throw from Brick, which means... congratulations to Jo and Brick, you move on to the final round!"

Brick and Jo holler in celebration of their win. They pull each into a deep embrace before Jo gives Brick a huge kiss. She then holds his head in her hands, looks him in the eyes and whispers to him, "You did amazing."

Brick gives her another kiss to hide his growing blush.

 ***Confessional- Brick***  
"Come on, I had to redeem myself after I blew it in the first dodgeball challenge. And I definitely couldn't let Jo have all the glory in our return."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Brick is the first one to break out of the hug. He rushes over to Sky, who is still on the ground, and extends his hand to help her up.

Sky accepts it with a playful smile. "Thanks. And good job, that was quite a throw there."

Brick smiles back. "Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't mean to throw that hard."

Sky shrugs it off. "Understandable. You know Lightning and Jasmine aren't going to go easy on you in the last round, right?"

Brick chuckles. "Wouldn't dream of it."

The camera then turns to Chris, who adds in to Chef previous announcement. "DJ and Sky, that means you are out of the running for Invincibility. Sorry dudes."

DJ and Sky both look disappointed, but accept their fate nonetheless.

Chef speaks up before anything else can be added. "Alright, time for the third round! Dawn and B, you'll be teaming up against Courtney and Sugar in the balance beam challenge... this time, with a twist. Everyone, head on over to balance beam!"

Everyone does as they're told and exits the gym promptly. Sugar and Courtney steer clear of each other, with Sugar walking next to Jasmine and Courtney with DJ.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Man, why do I gotta work with Courtney, of all people? I wish they could just give me Invincibility and let Miss Lawyer girl fend for herself!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

To no one's surprise, Dawn and B walk together, as do Anne Maria and Justin. At the very end is Sky, Lightning, Jo, and Brick, who are making up for lost time.

"So, from the looks of that kiss, Lightning would say you two are doing good?" The jock asks his former teammates.

Jo smiles and holds onto Brick's hand tighter. "Yeah, better than good. Things have been great."

"I'm so happy to hear it. You left on such a bittersweet note, I was kind of worried." Sky admits.

Brick nervously scratches the back of his head as he speaks. "Honestly, I'm glad it happened the way it did. It sucks to have lost, but... it got us to this point, so it can't be that bad, right?"

Lightning looks shocked at his answer. "Huh... Lightning never thought of it that way."

Jo rolls her eyes and gives Lightning a light punch on the shoulder. "Lightning not thinking? I'm shocked." She teases.

"Hey!" Lightning says as he returns a gentle shove.

Jo laughs. "It's great to see you two. I'm guessing you guys worked things out?"

Sky looks too nervous to answer. Luckily, she doesn't need to, because Lightning excitedly claims, "Sha-yep! Everything's great! Lightning and Sky are the best alliance this game has ever seen!"

"Alliance, huh?" Jo asks with a raised eyebrow.

This time, it's Sky that answers. "Yup, an alliance. And we have been doing great keeping it that way."

Jo and Brick don't ask for details. The tone in Sky's voice indicates that she's not ready to give them.

 ***Confessional- Jo & Brick***  
"Man, they're even more hopeless than we were." Jo mutters.

Brick shrugs. "Still, they seem to be doing well as... whatever they are. Hopefully it doesn't come back to haunt them."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"I'm not stupid, I know what they're implying about me and Lightning. And it's nothing we haven't heard since Day One. I like him a lot, but we both agreed that staying focused on the competition was what was best for us. That's not going to change."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"So, uh... Lightning knows that Sky and I agreed to just be alliance during the game, but... I haven't felt this way about someone before. Maybe, for once, there's something more important to the Lightning than winning? Please don't tell Pops I said that."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The four are the last to make it to the balance beam, which Dawn, B, Courtney and Sugar are standing directly under. Chef and Chris are next to them, with Chef holding two of the tomato cannons from the original challenge.

Once everyone is within hearing range, Chris speaks up. "B and Dawn. Courtney and Sugar. You will be competing in a smaller version of the balance beam challenge. One person from each pair will stand on the balance beam, while the other will be armed with a tomato cannon. The person who falls first will lose the challenge for them and their partner. Shooters, you can fire at any point. However, this time you only get one tomato. That's it. So make it count. Any questions?"

The competing campers don't say saying, so Chris continues on. "Good. Now, decide who's balancing and who's shooting."

Dawn doesn't hesitate to hand the gun to B.

"You do it, I'll be a better balancer than a shooter." She explains. B nods and accepts the tomato cannon.

Meanwhile, Courtney bluntly tells Sugar, "I'll be the one on the balance beam, got it?"

Sugar glares and responds, "No way, I'm the balancer!"

Courtney smirks and grabs the gun from Chef. "Good, I wanted to be the shooter anyway."

Sugar yells back, "Hey, no fair, you tricked me!"

Courtney shrugs. "To be fair, it wasn't that hard."

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"As if I'd ever trust Sugar with a weapon. Idiot."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The static fades to reveal Dawn and Sugar standing side-by-side on the balance beam. Courtney and B are below them, armed and ready.

"Just like we said before, first one to fall loses. Challenge starts... NOW!" Chef yells out.

Sugar whispers over to her competitor. "Psst, hey Dawn."

"Yes, Sugar?"

"If you guys win, we should work together."

"That would require you to fall off."

"I know, just covering all my bases."

"You always do, Sugar. I'll think about it, but that's all I can offer right now."

Sugar lets out a huff and a curt, "Fine."

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"Oh no, no way I'm making plans with Sugar right away. Should B and I return to the game, I want to make it abundantly clear that I've learned my lesson."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Down below B and Courtney are armed with their cannons, ready to fire when necessary. Everyone not participating is silently standing a few feet away from them.

Suddenly, Justin speaks up. "Hey Courtney, I'm surprised you're working so well in a pair. And with Sugar nonetheless."

 ***Confessional- Justin***  
"I haven't forgotten how Sugar told me to throw the Invincibility challenge that sent Anne Maria and I home. And with some as... aggressive as Courtney as her partner... well, I'm hoping that Sugar's luck turns sour."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Believe me, it wasn't my choice." Courtney tells him.

Justin nods. "Oh, I do believe it. You won't believe everything we endured on the Beautiful Butterflies."

"Yeah, we were only here for three challenges, and I was already sick of her." Anne Maria adds in.

Suddenly, Sugar shouts from above, "Hey! Quit yer' schemin' with Courtney! I can hear you from up here!"

Courtney rolls her eyes. "Shut up, Sugar. As if you weren't trying to make a deal with Dawn."

Sugar gasps in faux offense. "Why, I would never! Unlike some people, I'm an honest person!"

"Yeah, last season would indicate otherwise." Courtney shouts to her partner.

Sugar throws back, "Hey, I only had one season of dishonesty. You've had _four_."

Courtney snaps as soon as Sugar's last comment is said. The contestants can practically feel the anger radiating off of her. Without any hesitation, she aims her cannon and fires straight for Sugar, leaving everyone stunned.

The tomato flies towards Sugar's head, and a quick duck barely saves her.

"Ha! You missed me!" She shouts, only to be struck by the tomato gun _itself_. Sugar loses her balance and hits the ground with a loud thud.

The camera turns to Courtney to reveal that, yes, Courtney did throw the device at her partner. B's eyes are wide in shock at the sudden turn of events.

After the surprise has warn off, Chef gives the final verdict. "Well... I guess this means B and Dawn advance to the final round... without really doing anything."

 ***Confessional- B & Dawn***  
"I mean, we'll take it." Dawn says with a shrug.

B nods vigorously in agreement.  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris continues on with the announcement. "And with that... interesting performance, is say it's time for the final round! Everyone head to the Mess Hall!"

The campers all groan, but comply with the host's instructions.

Having fully recovered from her fall, Sugar runs over to Courtney and grabs her by the shoulder.

"What the hell was that?" She asks.

Courtney rolls her eyes. "You pissed me off. You fell. We lost."

"I only fell because of _you_!"

Courtney shrugs again. "Sorry. Don't piss me off next time. Better yet, let's just not be in a pair again."

Before Sugar can add to the argument, Courtney runs off to join DJ and Lightning further down the path.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Bad news, it's my own fault for losing Invincibility this week. Good news, it's my fault Sugar also lost Invincibility this week. So we'll just say I broke even."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Jasmine and Sky are walking towards the front, away from everyone else.

"Nervous for what's next?" Sky asks quietly.

Jasmine gives her an innocent smirk. "A little. But no matter what, at least I know Lightning and I will work better than Courtney and Sugar did. Man, that was brutal."

Sky giggles. "Yeah, that's for sure. But, um, speaking of which..."

"Yeah?"

"Well, Lightning and I were talking, and... we both think it's time we got rid of Sugar. Especially now that she isn't safe." Sky explains.

Jasmine subtly bites down on her bottom lip. Trying to hide her nervousness. Finally she answers Sky.

"Yeah, okay."

Sky looks confused. "Okay? I mean... yeah, great. Glad it's settled."

The former Brawny Beaver smiles at each other, but neither smile is as full or lively as it usually is.

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"Okay? Okay?! I've been on Jasmine's team from the beginning. I've sided with her in every vote. I _know_ how much of a strategist she is. She doesn't just say 'okay' to any idea, she considers every possible option. The only reason she would brush me off like that is because she's already made a decision... and I'm pretty sure I know who it is."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Everyone is now in front of the Mess Hall, with the three winning pairs in the center of the small group. Chris and Chef are standing in front of the door, facing the campers.

Chris begins to speak. "Jasmine and Lightning. Jo and Brick. B and Dawn. Congratulations, you six have advanced to the final part of today's challenge. Jasmine and Lightning, if you win, you both earn Invincibility and are safe from tonight's vote. Should one of the other pairs win, you will win the right to return into the game. Ready to hear what your task will be?"

Everyone shakes their heads yes.

Chris smiles. "Good. Fans of Total Drama might remember this challenge, because we used in our first pairs relay all the way back in season one."

He pauses to hold up a wooden carving of his head. "Each pair will find a table with 15 wooden carvings on them. However, instead of my gorgeous mug, they were carved in the likeness of the 15 campers eliminated thus far in the season. Each team will have to vertically stack the carvings in the correct elimination order, with the first person eliminated being at the bottom. First pair to do so wins. Any questions?"

"Wait, that's it?" Jo asks.

Chris nods. "Yup, that's it. Anything else to add?"

No one else says anything, much to Chris' delight. "Good. Campers, you may head into the Mess Hall... NOW!"

The three pairs waste no time barging into the dining room to pick a station to work at .Jo and Brick are at the table furthest to the right, Jasmine and Lightning are in the center, and B and Dawn are on the left. Everyone immediately begins to work, and the intensity is felt throughout the room. Everyone not competing is watching from the sidelines, completely silent.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"I don't know if my game can deal with any new dynamics, so Jasmine and Lightning have to win this one."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Dawn has her eyes closed and a scrunched up look on her face. B is looking over the carvings, waiting for her instructions.

"Harold at the bottom. Topher next, and then Justin and Anne Maria." She tells her silent partner. He begins to look for each one and stacks them accordingly.

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"This is the perfect challenge for us. B and I work very well together, and I have a good grasp on the elimination order. I think... I think we may have a chance here."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Meanwhile, Jasmine and Lightning are off to a rocky start.

"Okay, so it was Harold first, and then... was Topher eliminated first, or Justin and Anne Maria?" Jasmine asks.

"Sha-wait, who's Topher? And Harold?" Lightning asks.

Jasmine groans in annoyance as she holds up the carvings of Harold and Topher's heads.

Lightning's eye grow wide. "Huh? When were they here?!"

Jasmine groans even louder this time.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"To be fair, the Brawny Beavers only went to two Campfire Ceremonies as a team. Though we probably should've paid better attention to the elimination order."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

We're now back on B and Dawn, who are continuing to set the pace.

"Shawn. Jo and Brick. And then... who was first? Cameron or Leonard?" Dawn asks.

B holds up the carving of Cameron's head.

"Right. So Cameron and then Leonard. Neither of us went to a Campfire Ceremony the next week, so that has to be Eva."

B searches around for Eva's carving. After a brief pause, he finds it and places it on the stack.

We're now focused on Brick and Jo, who appear to be very confident in their order.

"Okay, the first five eliminations were Harold, Topher, Justin and Anne Maria, Shawn, then me and you. Easy." Jo declares smugly.

Brick stacks up each carving just as Jo instructed. When he's finished, he takes a look around at the others still scattered around.

"Okay, who's next?" He asks his girlfriend. Jo's eyes grow wide in realization.

"Shit."

 ***Confessional- Brick***  
"Normally I would've been keeping track of the elimination order, should an opportunity like this arise. But you know, new girlfriend and all... well, my mind's been elsewhere."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Jo***  
"Come on, I didn't think there'd be a point to knowing the elimination order once we were gone. I now see I may have misjudged."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

We're back to Dawn and B once more.

Dawn begins to look more nervous as they get closer to the end. "Lindsay, then us. Leshawna. Then Scarlett... No, wait, Scarlett _then_ Leshawna. And... Chris, we're done! CHRIS!"

The other two pairs drop their carvings immediately. The other campers look to be varying degrees of surprised and nervous. Chris and Chef walk over to Dawn and B's station to examine their guess, with Chris getting incredibly close to the stack as he speaks.

"Let's see... Harold, Topher, Justin and Anne Maria, Shawn, Jo and Brick, Cameron, Leonard, Eva, Lindsay, Dawn and B, Scarlett, and finally Leshawna. Well, B and Dawn... Congratulations, you have won today's challenge, and therefore the right to return to the game!"

Dawn uelps happily at the announcement and pulls B into a tight hug. Despite his quiet nature, B looks to be equally as happy at the news.

The other two pairs look disappointed, as is expected. DJ and Courtney both look unsure of how to handle the news. Anne Maria and Justin look to be indifferent, and Sugar is ecstatic.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"This might just be ole Sugar's chance to get some power in the game! You better watch your back there Courtney, cause yer' my first target!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris continues with the announcement. "So here's how this is going to work. B and Dawn will go back with Jo, Brick, Justin, and Anne Maria to pack. You two will come back after tonight's Campfire Cermony. This means you won't vote, but you also can't be voted for. Courtney, DJ, Jasmine, Lightning, Sky, and Sugar, you six will vote tonight, and none of you have Invincibility. Now's the time to say your goodbyes."

Most of the campers give generic goodbyes to their ousted competitors, with a few exceptions. Lightning pulls Jo and Brick into a tight hug before they leave.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Lightning can't believe how hard it's become to say goodbye to people. I don't think I've ever had a group friends like this before. It's... it's really nice."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Right before she leaves, Jasmine quickly whispers to Dawn, "Hope we can talk once you get back."

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"I have to get my foot in the door with B and Dawn. The more people I'm on good terms with, the less likely I am to get voted out."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Sky's the last one to say goodbye to Jo and Brick, and she looks very distracted when she finally does.

"Hope you and Lightning make it far. You two kick some serious ass together." Jo tells her.

Sky sadly nods as she pulls the couple into a hug. "Yeah, we do. We really do. It's been great to see you two. I'll... see you soon."

"Hopefully not too soon." Brick jokingly says.

But Sky doesn't laugh at all. She gives them both a look and says one word. "Soon."

And with that, she turns around and walks away, not even noticing how close DJ was to the scene. He looks absolutely horrified.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Oh my god, Sky knows. She knows about our plan. I don't... I don't know if I can do this."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The three pairs head out on the same motorboats they came on, two at a time. The group of six that still remains head back to their cabins as the boats ride farther into the distance.

 ***Confessional- Dawn & B***  
"Well, it's obvious that my game wasn't perfect the first time around. But now we've been given this incredible opportunity to return, and I intend not to waste it. So... I guess we'll see you all next episode."

B smiles and gives the camera a thumbs up.  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Sky runs to Lightning and pulls him into a hug, much to both his delight and confusion.

"Hey Sky, you okay?" Lightning asks.

"Lightning..." Sky says as she leaves his arms. "It's going to be _me_."

We don't see Lightning's reaction, or Sky's explanation. The next thing we see is DJ running into the girl's part of the cabin, where Courtney, Sugar, and Jasmine are all speaking.

"DJ? You okay?" Jasmine asks.

DJ takes a few moments to catch his breath before he begins to talk. "Sky knows, you guys. She knows that we want to vote for one of them! And she's probably telling Lightning about right now as we speak!"

Jasmine shrugs. "Well, there's nothing we can do about them knowing. I prefer we vote for Sky anyway."

"Same here. Girl's way too smart." Sugar adds.

DJ looks shocked. "What?! You're not worried? Man, Lightning's gonna be so upset!"

Courtney stands up from her bunk and looks her ally directly in the eye. "DJ, you're panicking. Let's go walk outside and talk it through; it'll make you feel better."

DJ silently agrees to her offer. Jasmine and Sugar let the duo walk alone, internally hoping that Courtney will be able to get through to him.

As soon as they're a fair distance away from the cabins, Courtney wastes no time in explaining the situation.

"We have to get rid of one of them, DJ. It's been a long time coming. As soon as one of them is gone, you and I are the strongest players in the game. Not to mention everyone will be targeting B and Dawn once they arrive."

DJ lets out a loud sigh. "This doesn't bother you? I mean, Lightning protected us last week. _He's_ the reason we're here over Leshawna."

"But we're not voting for Lightning, are we?" Courtney reminds him.

"... No, I guess we're not."

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"DJ is a great ally to have. He's loyal, and basically friends with everyone. The downside to this is that eventually he's going to have to make some tough choices. And it's now or never."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

About ten minutes later, DJ and Courtney return to their cabin, each of them going to their assigned room. DJ isn't quite sure if he feels any better than before, but he's accepted the choice he has to make.

But any feelings of reassurance goes out the window the moment he sees Lightning looking dejected on his bunk.

"Hey man, you good? DJ asks nervously.

Lightning looks up to his roommate and says, "Yeah dude, it's just... uh, Sky's worried about the vote tonight."

"Oh, um, really?"

"Yeah, she says she has a 'bad feeling'... but Lightning thinks the game is just getting to her head. I tried convincing her otherwise, and she won't listen."

DJ isn't sure how to respond to the confession. "Oh, wow... um, that's gotta be rough."

Lightning firmly nods. "Yeah, it is. Uh, DJ?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Sky should be worried? Lightning knows it's kind of dumb to trust everyone, but Sugar just seems like the best choice to go home. I mean, who else could it be?"

DJ's guilt stalls his reply. Once he gets ahold of himself, he blurts out, "Yeah, I know what you mean. I think... I think you'll be fine."

"Really?" Lightning asks happily.

"...Yeah."

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"I think that's the first lie I've told all game."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

A few hours later, Lightning pulls Sky aside right before they head off to the Campfire Ceremony.

"Sky! Lightning talked to DJ, and he said we were fine, so there's no need to worry!" The jock explains happily.

Sky is unconvinced, but she doesn't want her closest ally to see it. "Oh Lightning... that's, um, that's great. Wait, you asked him about it?"

Lightning proudly says, "Well, yeah! You were so upset, and Lightning didn't like it. But you don't have to worry! We can still go to the Finale together like we've been planning. It's all going to work out!"

Sky's smile grows wider at Lightning's words, but inside her heart is slowly breaking. She's happy to have someone that cares about her, but upset about what she believes tonight will bring. More than anything else, she wants to let him know how she truly feels.

"Lightning, I-" she says before she interrupts herself. Seeing the excitement on his face makes her change her confession at the last moment.

"I'm so glad to be working with you. I couldn't have asked for a better alliance."

 ***Confessional- Sky***  
"I wanted to ask him out, right then and there. But I'm still holding onto hope that it's Sugar going home tonight. And if it is me... it's still not the time to ask Lightning to be my boyfriend. No matter what happens, he needs to focus on the game. And besides... I already know that we're a duo. We can figure the rest out another time."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

* * *

 _*Campfire Ceremony*_  
Chris kicks off the festivities immediately.

"Well campers, it's time for the latest Campfire Ceremony! Our Final Six is about to become our Final Five! And then Dawn and B will return, which makes it a Final Seven. Don't ask me to repeat myself, because I am also confused." The host explains as he picks up the first marshmallow.

"Hmm, let's see... ah, Courtney. You singlehandedly ruined your chance at Invincibility by making Sugar lose. It was pretty dumb, and also pretty hilarious. Probably the highlight of my week. And for that, you get the first marshmallow."

Courtney easily catches her marshmallow, but not without throwing Sugar a wicked smirk. Sugar looks annoyed.

Chris continues. "Jasmine and Lightning. You both blew it in the last round that allowed B and Dawn to return. Still, no one voted for you two, so a marshmallow for each of you."

Chris turns to DJ as soon as he throws the marshmallows. "DJ, my man. You also got no votes, so you also get a marshmallow."

DJ catches the marshmallow thrown to him, but he doesn't look happy about his safety either.

Finally Chris directs his attention to Sugar and Sky. "Sugar and Sky, you are our bottom two tonight. Sky, you're a former finalist, athletic, and in a tight alliance. It kind of explains itself. Sugar, you just always seem to be in the bottom two. Why should this week be any different? Anyway, the person going home tonight is..."

The dramatic music they've grown accustomed to begins to play. Sugar looks confident in the outcome, much to everyone's distaste. Sky grabs onto Lightning's hand tightly. The jock rubs the pad of of his thumb onto her hand as a sign of comfort. Finally, Chris announces the name of the ousted camper.

"Sky."

Sugar laughs victoriously as she goes up and snatches the final marshmallow from Chris.

"WHAT?!" Lightning yells, looking around at his competitors. From what he can see on everyone's faces, he's the only one surprised by the outcome.

"Sky? But... no, it's not... no." Lightning incoherently mutters.

Chris speaks up. "Ah, Lightning, you've always had a way with words. Sorry Sky, your time here has come to an end. It's time to say your goodbyes."

Sky nods slowly at Chris' words. She then stands up, turns to the remainder campers, and says firmly, "I understand why you made this choice. Thank you all for this amazing experience. I never thought this is what my time here would be like, but... it's so much better than what I expected."

One-by-one, Sky gives each of them a final hug and words of encouragement. Even Sugar receives some kindness from her.

Jasmine is the second to last person she says goodbye too. After her hug, she gives the Australian a firm handshake as a sign of respect

"I'm sorry I had to do this." Jasmine admits.

Sky waves her apology off. "Don't be. At least I was voted out for being a threat."

Jasmine chuckles. "Yeah, think of it as a compliment. A really fucked up compliment."

Sky laughs again before ending the handshake. At last she turns to the person who will be her final goodbye. The one who meant the most to her, and therefore, the most difficult goodbye of them all.

Lightning is still in shock from the results of the vote. Sky isn't surprised by his reaction- she had a feeling she would have to be the strong one.

Finally, Lightning attempts to speak. "Sky, I-"

Sky interrupts his attempt with a tight hug. Despite their height difference, it looks like she's crushing him in her grip.

"Lightning?" She asks softly.

"Yeah?" He replies, practically choking on his words.

She gives him a kiss on the cheek before saying her final word to him. " _Win."_

She doesn't give him time to respond, as she immediately breaks away from him to let Chris know she's ready for the Slingshot of Defeat.

Lightning is stunned. His eyes are wide, and he has a hand over the cheek that Sky kissed. He doesn't even notice the reactions of those behind him. To no one's surprise, DJ and Jasmine are the most giddy.

"Mate, I think she broke him." Jasmine whispers.

"She definitely did." DJ whispers back.

"It was so fucking adorable." Jasmine squeals.

"I'm so happy they're filming this." DJ tells her.

When they finally get to the Slingshot of Defeat, Sky opts to not have any last words, as she's said all she needed to. She does, however, give Lightning one last smile before she's sent off.

Lightning's eyes begin to glisten as Chef releases Sky from the Slingshot. The farther she gets, the closer he is to tears. It's not lost on anyone just how heartbroken he is.

When Sky is no longer visible, DJ gently places a hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

"Hey man, you okay?" He asks.

Lightning whips his shoulder out from underneath DJ's hand. "Don't talk to me. _Liar_."

Lightning runs off towards the cabins before DJ can say anything else.

The camera turns to Chris for the last words of the episode. "Well, we lost an athlete, but we got two more campers about to return! Will B and Dawn learn from their past mistakes? Will Lightning recover from the loss of Sky? We'll find out next time, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"

 **•End of Episode Fourteen•**

* * *

 **I know, it's kind of a downer ending. But I'll explain more in a little bit. Let's just say Sky's 'final' words to Lightning aren't as final as they seem.**

 **Here is the voting lineup for this chapter. Since they are returning, I included B and Dawn too, even though they weren't part of the Campfire Ceremony:**  
 **B- Returned; No Vote**  
 **Courtney- Sky**  
 **Dawn- Returned; No Vote**  
 **DJ- Sky**  
 **Jasmine- Sky**  
 **Lightning- Sugar**  
 **Sky- Sugar**  
 **Sugar- Sky**

* * *

 **Clearly, I have to discuss the first major occurrence of the chapter- B and Dawn are back in the game! In the early planning stages of this series, I had no intentions to have campers return. Once the storyline was more developed, I realized that there was so much I could do with bringing campers back. B and Dawn were always front runners to return, but once I made the connection of the double eliminations and competing in pairs, their fate was sealed for me.**

 **The decision to have B and Dawn return was not simply because they were the most appealing of the double elimination pairs. I wanted the returnees to earn their right to compete, not have them come back 'just because'. I also wanted to bring back characters that had something to prove. For me, B and Dawn still have a ways to go.**

 **As for the other pairs, Anne Maria and Justin have been gone for far too long and didn't make any lasting impact in the story during their stay. Jo and Brick were a more tempting choice to return, but I decided against it for a few reasons. One, they've also been gone for a long time. Two, they already had their happy ending in their elimination episode. Three, their return would've been such an obvious advantage to Lightning that I just couldn't bring myself to do it. This is also why I didn't bring back Lindsay, Shawn, Scarlett, or Leshawna; it would give certain campers a clear advantage. While it would be interesting to see Lightning's close ally return in the same week that he loses Sky, the next chapter has enough drama without it.**

 **And now we move on to the other big moment of this chapter. The inevitable has finally happened: Sky and Lightning have been split up, and without making anything official. Before I go any further, let me say this: their story doesn't end with Sky's elimination. As long as Lightning is still there, the storyline remains open. You'll find out how soon enough.**

 **Most of the readers I have written with guessed that at least one of the Sky/Lightning pair would not make the Finale, and obviously they were right. The reason that Sky was the first of them to go was because of the final major obstacle that still needs to be addressed- the issue of Lightning's attitude. It's clear that Lightning is much nicer here, and a lot of it has to do with the fact that Sky made him want to be a better person. He was smitten with her from day one, so of course he's going to be on his best behavior.**

 **Sky aside, Lightning's pretty much gotten his way in every episode so far. Sure, he was sad that Jo got eliminated, and you know he didn't like losing any of those challenges, but he still had loyal friends and a girl that he cared about. Now Sky is gone, and at the hands of their friends. Clearly, Lightning is not happy, much like he wasn't happy when Cameron took Invincibility from him in ROTI (and mind you, that was an accident, imagine how he feels when it's intentional). The question now is; will he return to his more villainous self, or will he learn from his past mistakes?**

 **There has been foreshadowing of this in multiple chapters, but particularly the last two. Several campers have mentioned that Sky is the stability of the duo, and that Lightning would be a wreck if she was eliminated. We saw shades of this at the very end of the Campfire Ceremony, but we'll see just how true this is in the next chapter.**

 **Speaking of future chapters, I completely rewrote the challenge for the Final Five. It's the same elimination order, but the original concept didn't seem too realistic to me, even in the Total Drama universe. My new idea sticks to the themes of this story much better, and the outcome makes a lot more sense. Because of this, there will now be another chapter with guest appearances from eliminated campers. They will not have the chance to return, but they will be a part of the challenge. I think you'll like the content much better in this version (it's much more action packed now).**

 **The title of the next chapter is "Nice Lies Finish Last". I'm very excited to write out everyone's reactions to the Campfire Ceremony, and I hope you're all excited to read it.**

 **As always, please don't hesitate to favorite, follow, and review the story. Feedback is always welcome, and it really makes my day to hear your thoughts!**

 **Stay beautiful, everyone!**  
 **~VintageMadame**

* * *

 **Eliminated: Harold, Topher, Anne Maria, Justin, Shawn, Brick, Jo, Cameron, Leonard, Eva, Lindsay, B (RETURNED), Dawn (RETURNED), Scarlett, Leshawna, Sky**


	16. Nice Lies Finish Last

**Happy Holidays everybody! So, you may or may not have heard, but Total Drama is getting a spin-off series called Total Drama Daycare! Not gonna lie, I'm pretty excited for it, even if it's not a continuation of the original series.**

 **That being said, because of this, I'm more determined than ever to finish this series, because now I know my work won't interfere with any canon occurrences (for now, at least). I don't set deadlines for myself, but I do try to get out at least one chapter every month. This shouldn't be too hard, because we're almost at the end! After this one, there are only four chapters left in the story, and I can't wait to share them with you!**

 **For now, here's my latest update. I sincerely hope you enjoy it; it gets fairly emotional at some points.**

* * *

 **Brainy Beetles: B, Courtney**

 **Brawny Beavers: DJ, Jasmine, Lightning**

 **Beautiful Butterflies: Dawn, Sugar**

* * *

 ***Last Episode Recap***  
"Last time, on Total Drama... Our Final Six became our Final Seven. How, you may ask? Well... Anne Maria, Justin, Jo, Brick, Dawn, and B were all given the chance to return if they could best everyone in the Invincibility challenge. In the first round Anne Maria and Justin lost to Jasmine and Lightning, but Jo, Brick, B, and Dawn were all victorious in their efforts. In the final round, B and Dawn won by a landslide and earned their way back into the game. Enough drama for one episode, right? Wrong! In between all that, Jasmine began the campaign to split up Sky and Lightning, which Courtney and Sugar easily agreed to. However, DJ was a much harder sell. While Sky began to catch on about her time coming to an end, Lightning remained convinced of their safety, especially after a talk with DJ put him at ease. Color him surprised when, at the Campfire Ceremony, Sky was sent packing in a 4-2 vote. She left Lightning with a kiss on the cheek and encouragement to win the game. Lightning ended the episode with a broken heart and a vendetta against his competitors. Will Lightning seek revenge? Will B and Dawn become a force to be reckoned with? I guess we'll see... now, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"  
 ***End Recap***

* * *

Jasmine, Courtney, Sugar, and DJ are all sitting around the girls' bunks. DJ and Courtney are sitting side by side on Courtney's bed. Jasmine is on the ground next to them, and Sugar is leaning against her own bunk.

"Damn, he's still running around out there?" Sugar asks in disbelief.

Jasmine nods. "He hasn't come back to the cabins since the Campfire Ceremony. I saw him punch a tree earlier."

"We shouldn't have voted for her. We should've done anything else other than what we did. Lightning's gonna kill us." DJ blurts out.

Sugar brushes it off. "Na, he won't kill us. He might kill you, since you did lie to him and all."

DJ lets out a little screech. Courtney gives Sugar a death glare before turning to comfort her ally.

"DJ, he's not going to hurt you. Lightning is well aware that this is a competition. He's only upset because it was Sky. He was so blindly happy with her he didn't consider the possibility of her being voted out. If he is half the competitor he says he is he'll get over it."

"Still, he's more mad at me than anyone. And I don't blame him. I mean, I lied straight to his face, and I didn't even have to! It wouldn't have changed anything!" DJ reminds her.

Courtney throws back. "Yes, you lied. But you were nervous and didn't want to hurt him. It was misguided, but well intended."

"She's right. Plus, you're not the only one that had to make a tough choice. Courtney betrayed Scarlett, I voted for Leshawna- hell, Dawn voted for Lindsay, and now she's coming back in the game!" Jasmine assures him.

Sugar pushes herself off the bed at that remark. "Yeah, speaking of which... where are those two? Shouldn't they be arrivin' soon or something?"

As if on cue, the cabin door opens to find B nervously enter with a single duffle bag by his side. He curiously looks around , having not seen the new cabin beforehand.

Jasmine gives him a friendly smile. "Hey B, good to see you again mate! Where's Dawn?"

B points outside. At first they think he means that she'll be here momentarily. When she doesn't show up, Courtney realizes what he actually meant.

"She's talking with Lightning, isn't she?"

B shakes his head yes. Everyone looks nervous at what that may imply, strategy-wise.

Jasmine speaks up to cut the tension. "Good, maybe she can knock some sense into him. DJ, you wanna show B around upstairs? It could help you get your mind off of... well, everything."

DJ nods sadly, but tries his best to brighten up for B's sake. The two guys head up the stairs, ready to find some comfort in what's been nothing short of an exhausting day.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Dawn and Lightning discussing the past Campfire Ceremony... worries me, to say the least. With Dawn and B being so close, they won't need many more allies before they have control of the game. We just split up one pair, and it looks like we'll have to target another one."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Outside, Dawn is meditating by the forest a few yards away from the cabins. She's sitting on her suitcase for support; eyes closed, legs crossed in lotus position. She's broken out of her trance when a voice ends the silence.

"Oh. You guys are back."

She opens her eyes to see Lightning standing before her. It takes her a moment to process it, but she looks devastated once she gets a good look at him.

"I'm sorry about Sky." She tells him quietly.

Lightning tenses up as soon as he hears her name. He doesn't even try to hide the bitterness in his voice when he replies.

"Can't change it now. Lightning's guessing you've talked with everyone else then?"

Dawn shakes her head. "Oh no, I actually haven't seen anyone yet besides you and B. But your aura looks so gloomy and... broken. So it seemed like a fair guess to make."

Lightning scratches the back of his head, a little uncomfortable with where the conversation is heading.

"Oh. Okay."

Dawn either doesn't get the hint that Lightning doesn't want to talk or she doesn't care, because she continues her analysis.

"I can tell that you miss her a lot. Your aura has always been an open book, but it shined so bright at the challenge today, even when you lost. Now you're even sadder than you were in our first season."

Lightning scoffs and opts to ignore most of her explanation. "Of course I miss her. I don't gotta read auras to know all that, Creepy Girl."

Dawn smirks and replies steadily, "You haven't called me "Creepy Girl" for a long time. You know, your aura also tells me that you give people nicknames to disassociate from them. You don't want to be close to anyone. But despite that, you started to make friends here. Now you feel betrayed by them, and you're showing that you're hurt through aggression."

The jock is about to argue with her, but realizes that there isn't much to argue against. So instead, he takes a deep breath and responds, "I just... I miss her a lot."

"Oh I know. You like her more than you've probably liked anyone else before. That's a very scary thing. All I can say is that her aura showed she cared for you just as much."

"Really?"

"Yup. The energy between you two was... well, it was definitely magnetic, to say the least."

Lightning looks confused at that. "Um... okay?"

Dawn smiles again. "That's a good thing. A _very_ good thing. You two went well together."

Now Lightning just looks more upset than before. "Doesn't matter now. She's gone."

"She just left the game, she's not gone forever. You of all people should know what the game entails." Dawn reminds him.

Lightning scrunches up his face to think for a moment before replying. "I'm... not ready to be over it. I'm still mad. I need time to be mad at the people that voted for her."

Dawn nods. "Just don't give it too much time."

"Yeah. And thanks... Dawn."

"You're welcome Lightning. I'm going to head in now."

"Yeah, me too."

Lightning offers his hand to Dawn, which she gratefully accepts. Once she has a hold of her suitcase, the two head back to their quarters.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Why did it have to be Sky?! She deserves to be here, more than anyone else in the game! Now that Lightning's all alone, he's ready to take each enemy down, one by one. And they're _all_ enemies in the Lightning's eyes."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Once they reach the cabin, Lightning points to the door of the girls' bedroom before marching up to his own room. He enters to find mattresses, blankets, pillows, and chairs strategically placed around the room. Only Lightning's bed remains untouched.

Suddenly, DJ's head pops out from a wall of blankets. "Lightning, look! B made us a mega fort with all the mattresses and blankets we have."

Lightning lets out a huff and replies, "... Lightning's going to bed."

DJ lifts his blanket higher to show B, who is moving a mattress. "But B just got here!"

Lightning jumps into his bed and dry says, "So stay up with him then. Lightning don't care."

DJ and B look at each other with concern. DJ sadly sighs and begins to blurt out what's been on his mind all night.

"Come on, dude... I know I should've told you, but I couldn't! You're my friend, and I wanted to keep you safe!"

Lightning chooses to ignore the apology as he makes himself comfortable in his bed. Once he's settled in, DJ and B accept the fact that he doesn't want to talk to them about the night. However, right before he falls asleep, Lightning finally responds in the form of a cold, slightly threatening statement.

"Lightning is a team of one. He don't need friends."

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"I know Lightning's mad about Sky being voted off, and he's even madder at me for lying to him. Yeah, I shouldn't have done that, but I panicked. I just hope he forgives me soon."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The girls' room is much more friendly as they're helping Dawn get settled in. There's some uneasiness about the situation in general, but it's clear that no ill will exists between the three other women and Dawn.

"So you can take the bunk above Sugar, or Sky's old bed. Your choice." Courtney explains.

"What about Leshawna's old bed?" Dawn asks.

Jasmine points to the bed above Courtney's. "We've been using it to hold snacks. And some shoes. And a couple jackets... there's just a lot of stuff on it."

Dawn peeks at the top bunk to see a bed cluttered with random food and clothing items, just like Jasmine said.

Courtney shrugs. "Yeah, it's basically our room's equivalent of 'the chair', so the two other beds are the only real options. Fair warning though, Sugar's super annoying in her sleep. And out of sleep, but that's obvious."

"Hey!" Sugar yells back.

Dawn doesn't need any more prompting and places her bedding on the bunk below Jasmine's. "... Sky's bed it is."

Jasmine smiles as Dawn lays out her sheets. "Well, it's your bed now, don't forget!"

Dawn mumbles to herself for a second, unsure if she should say anything else to them. Finally she decides to speak up.

"I know that my return probably isn't something you're all excited about, but... thank you for being this kind so far."

Courtney smiles gently to her, possibly as an attempt to make up for the previous animosity between them. "It's... really no problem. I've returned in the middle of the game too. Things are going to get a lot more intense now that Sky's gone."

Dawn slowly shakes her head. "Right. If you all don't mind, I think I'm going to lay down for the night. It's been a very hectic 24 hours, to say the least."

"Go right ahead. Sleep sounds pretty good right now." Jasmine agrees.

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"It's nice to see the girls be so genuinely accepting of my return. I'm going to enjoy it for now, but I have no doubts about everyone being back in full game mode tomorrow."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The next two days are tentative at best for the remaining campers. Lightning continues to give everyone the silent treatment, with the occasional exception of Dawn and B (who is already silent enough for the both of them). Jasmine and Courtney become a tag team for comforting DJ, who continues to freak out about Lightning's deadly glares. B and Dawn become fully readjusted back to camp life, and are being treated well by their competitors. Towards the end of the second day, Sugar pulls Dawn aside after dinner to exploit Lightning's continuing attitude.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Jasmine, Courtney, and DJ have been sticking together more often than not recently, and Lightning's anger certainly ain't helping them any. If I can get Dawn and B to vote with me, I'll be the one in charge from now on!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"What is it, Sugar?" Dawn asks the other blonde.

"I'll betcha all of my breakfast that we're gonna have an Invincibility challenge tomorrow. So we should probably decide who to vote for." Sugar tells her.

Dawn looks at Sugar in both disbelief and confusion. "I don't know if I should be voting with you, Sugar." She tells her bluntly.

Sugar lets out a sigh. "Look, I know you got screwed over by voting for Lindsay, but that ain't my fault! Lightning would've been going home if Scarlett hadn't changed her vote! But now there's only seven of us left, so it's a perfect time to strike!"

Dawn appears slightly more interested in Sugar's offer. "What do you have in mind? Please explain."

Sugar begins to say her piece. "So, you and B are a pair, obviously. If you vote with me, that makes three. And normally, the other four would be thick as thieves. _But,_ Lightning's all mad now because Sky went home, so it'll be real easy to get him to switch sides. If we vote together, nothin's stoppin' us from sending Courtney home!"

As much as she hates to admit it, Dawn knows Sugar has a point. In fact, the only problem she really has with Sugar's offer is the last sentence, which she immediately brings up.

"I'm sure I can convince B to vote with us. Lightning... probably will vote with us, but he's too emotional to make any concrete promises right now. But, if we do vote together, I say we vote for Jasmine."

Sugar's jaw drops. "Wha?! Why? Courtney has to go home, she's the worst!"

Dawn tries her best not to roll her eyes at Sugar's pathetic logic. Instead, she takes a deep breath and calmly explains herself.

"Think about it, Sugar. Courtney might be 'the worst' to you, but is she really our best option? Sure, she's a threat, but is she likely to win over Jasmine? Or DJ? Courtney's got a bad reputation and has still managed to make a lot of enemies here."

"Yeah, but..."

Dawn raises her voice at Sugar as she interrupts. "No Sugar, just listen! In my eyes, Jasmine's strategy and DJ's social game are our biggest threats. The last time I sided with you, I got voted off. So if you want me to side with you again, then we're voting for the person that I want to see going home!"

Sugar raises her arms in surrender. "Alright, alright, sheesh! We can vote for Jasmine, okay?"

Dawn smiles lightly. "Perfect. I'm sorry for yelling. But you know Sugar, you ought to start thinking about what's the best for you strategy-wise, rather than who you like the least."

Sugar waves her off. "Yeah, yeah, I'll think about it. Now, let's get back to the cabin before it gets too cold."

Dawn agrees and the two reach their makeshift home in no time at all. Jasmine and Courtney are starting to get settled into their beds when they enter. Neither blonde says anything about their walk, but that doesn't stop Courtney or Jasmine from giving each other looks of concern. Courtney signals to Jasmine that they'll talk more tomorrow, which is easily agreed upon. All the women are asleep within the next 20 minutes.

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"Standing up to Sugar like that... it felt great! Really great; I can't believe I never did that before! And if all goes well, I'll be responsible for taking out one of the biggest threats in the game."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Don't tell Dawn I said this, but she may have a point about me startin' to be more strategy-like. I still don't appreciate all the yelling!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"With so few people left in the game, every private conversation is suspicious. I've been thinking a lot about whether or not we should split up B and Dawn, and I believe I now have the answer."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The next morning, campers are awakened by the blaring alarm that signifies an upcoming challenge. Lightning heads out to breakfast without a word to anyone. DJ and B leave together soon after, and the girls make it to the Mess Hall not long after them.

Despite Lightning's attitude, the seven campers still sit together as they eat. Facing the door this time is Jasmine, DJ, and Courtney, while opposite of them is Sugar, B, Dawn, and Lightning at the very end.

"So, do the guys still have that ridiculous fort still set up?" Courtney jokingly asks.

DJ and B nod proudly, while Lightning rolls his eyes. DJ replies, "Yep! And might I say, I haven't slept that well in weeks! What about you, Dawn? Think the new cabins are any better?"

Dawn looks up from her plate and smiles pleasantly to the campers across from her. "It's been wonderful, our room is much bigger than the old cabins. Though I must admit, it's a little weird being in Sky's old bed."

Lightning's fork makes a clanking sound as it hits his plate. He dropped it as soon as he heard Sky's name. Dawn's eyes go wide once realizes the weight of what she said.

"Oh, Lightning... I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

Before she can say anything else, Lightning stands up from his place and promptly leaves the dining room. Dawn looks even more guilty once he's out of sight. She turns to the other competitors and stutters it, "I'm so sorry, everyone. I wasn't thinking about what I was saying."

Courtney holds up her hand to silence the petite blonde. "Don't be sorry, it's not your fault. He's just being stupid." The brunette then stands up from her spot and moves towards the door to follow Lightning.

"Where are you going?" Jasmine asks.

"To talk some sense into him. This is getting ridiculous." Courtney answers, leaving before anyone else has the chance to follow.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"While I don't want Lightning to be mad at any of us anymore, I definitely don't want him to be mad at DJ at the very least. It's clear that Lightning's attitude is affecting him, and I need my ally to be at his best. Maybe I can talk some sense into him."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Courtney is relieved to find Lightning not too far off from the Mess Hall. He seems to have forgone the idea of running off, instead choosing to sulk by a patch of trees leading to the beach. She doesn't even hesitate to alert him of her presence.

"You know, you're making your weaknesses incredibly obvious to your competition." She tells him in a manner that is half joking, half serious.

Lightning turns to face her, trying his hardest to maintain a steady glare on his face. However, he finds that nearly impossible when he looks at Courtney, one of the only people left who understands what it means to have a bad reputation on the show.

So instead he just replies, "What else can they do? Everyone already voted for Sky and stabbed Lightning in the back. And Lightning ain't gonna let them eliminate me."

That's the most Lightning's said to Courtney in the past three days. Not knowing when she'll get the opportunity again, she decides to cut right to the chase.

"If you're going to be mad at anyone, it should be me. DJ wouldn't have voted for Sky if I didn't tell him too."

Lightning waves her off. "That's different, Lightning expects you to make those kinds of moves. We're the villains, remember? But not DJ. Lightning asked him to his face if Sky was safe. He lied to me, and then he goes and votes her out."

"Give him a break, he was scared. DJ doesn't have a vindictive bone in his body, and you know it. Have some compassion!" Courtney pleads to the jock.

"That's rich, coming from you." Lightning throws back at her.

To Lightning's (and probably everyone's) surprise, Courtney doesn't escalate the argument at the mention of her past. She's far too used to it now. Instead, she takes a deep breath and responds calmly.

"You know Lightning, we may have been the villains at one point, but we've grown a lot. Both of us have. Don't throw all that progress away, because you'll only make things harder for yourself."

Her honesty stuns Lightning for a moment. Given the vulnerability that went with her words, Lightning figures now is a safe time for him to be more honest himself.

"Lightning's gonna do what he has to to win. It's always been that way. But Courtney, if you can't win, don't you want DJ to be the one who does?"

Courtney bites back her pride and admits, "Of course. You know that."

Lightning nods. "That's how I felt with Sky. She was always there for me, brought out my good side, and didn't judge the Lightning from his past seasons. Can you imagine having that taken from you, and you didn't even suspect it to happen? What if someone did that with DJ?"

"I'd be upset, of course. But I'd like to think I wouldn't let it affect my shot at winning, which is what you're doing right now." Courtney responds.

Before Lightning can reply, Chef's voice comes on over the intercom.

"Attention, cadets! I need all of you to get your lazy behinds to the docks immediately. If I don't see 7 fame-hungry campers here within 5 minutes, there'll be hell to pay. Chef, out!"

After that, Lightning and Courtney waste no time in heading straight to the docks. It's no surprise that they're the first two there, given the head start they received. Chef is the only one there, and he merely greets the two with a grunt as they wait for the other five to arrive.

While they're standing there awkwardly, Courtney quickly tells Lightning, "I know you're still mad, and I get it, but Jasmine, DJ, and I still care about you. We'll tell you who we're voting for at the Campfire Ceremony, and you can choose whether to vote with us or not."

Lighting nods, but the poker face he's sporting prevents Courtney from knowing his true feelings on the matter. Him mumbling "Sha-okay," also doesn't give much away.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Well, I did all I could to ease the tension, but the rest is up to Lightning. As a competitor, and as a friend, I hope he forgives us."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Lightning's got a lot on his mind right now. I know I'm still mad at everyone for voting for Sky. But... well, being a team of one never hurt this much either."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Less than a minute later, the other five campers make it to the docks.

"Hey, where's Chris?" Sugar asks aloud.

Chef shouts back, "Chris is taking his day off today, which means I'm in charge today; from starting round to Campfire Ceremony!"

The mumbles and groans certainly aren't lost on Chef's ears, so he yells to them again.

"I'm sorry, is there a problem with that?!"

"No Chef!" Everyone hollers back, clearly terrified.

Chef smirks at the group and replies, "Good, now we can move onto today's challenge. It's a simple one, because I'm a simple man. Basically, you'll all be fighting each other."

"Hell yes, that's what I'm talking about!" Sugar yells excitedly. Courtney and Lightning both look to be about just as excited as she is, much to the horror of their competitors.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Okay, so I know Courtney's my ally, but I'm still kind of terrified at how excited she is for this challenge."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"With all the drama that's been going on the past few days... well, I _really_ don't want to fight Lightning."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chef interrupts, "Can I finish explaining now?"

Everyone nods, and Chef smirks back once more. "Good. Each round, two of you will face off on the platforms we set up in the middle of the lake." He says as he points to the wobbly wooden platforms that are seated in the center of the body of water. "The first camper to hit the water loses, and the winner will move onto the next round. We'll do this until there are only two campers left. The winner of Invincibility will be the last one standing in the final fight. Easy enough, so there better not be any stupid questions!"

Despite the warning, Dawn shakily raises her hand.

Chef groans. "What is it, pipsqueak?!"

Dawn says, "Well, wouldn't that format only work if we had eight campers? And there's only seven of us left."

Chef rolls his eyes. "Man, you're starting to sound like that evil redhead. And yes, we did think of that beforehand, which is why one of you gets a free pass this first round."

This new peaks everyone's interest.

"What? Which one of us gets the pass? Can it be me?!" Sugar asks.

Chef abruptly answers, "No, it can _not_! And if you would let me finish, I'll explain how it's going to work!"

Chef picks up an oversized padded baton that was laying by his feet beforehand. It looks just like the ones used back in Pahkitew Island.

"These batons are your weapons for today. The first one is with me, and the second baton is buried somewhere along this beach. The first camper to bring it to me automatically moves on to the second round. And you can all start digging... now!" Chef yells.

After a brief moment of confusion, the seven campers run off to dig in the sand. B and Dawn are digging together in the center of the beach. DJ is looking along the docks, and Jasmine is digging underneath them. Courtney is running her hands lightly throughout the beach, in hopes that the baton isn't buried too deep.

Meanwhile, Sugar is digging on the left side of the beach, slightly further away than the other campers. She's using her entire upper body to dig and cover more ground. After a few frustrating minutes, she finds the baton.

The beauty queen pulls the baton out of the sand and shouts, "Ah, I found it! In your faces! I told ya- hey!"

Her celebration is cut short when Lightning tackles her to the ground and rips the baton from her arms. He starts sprinting towards the docks with his hands above his head.

"That's for voting out Sky! And thanks for the baton!" He shouts back to Sugar, and wicked glint in his eye. The other campers are too shocked to say anything, let alone attempt to stop him. Lightning reaches the dock easily.

"And Lightning advances to the next round!" Chef declares.

"Sha-bam!" Lightning celebrates.

"Hey, no fair! I'm the one who found the baton! I should win!" Sugar pants out when she finally reaches the dock. She's clearly exhausted from attempting to run after Lightning.

Chef just shrugs. "All I said was the winner would be the one who reached the dock with the baton first. No cares that you found it." He then turns to Lightning and says, "Lightning, you automatically move to the Final Four of the challenge. Nice use of violence to get what you want."

Lightning smirks back and replies, "Sha-thanks!"

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"So I'm guessing it's safe to assume that Lightning is still angry about Sky being gone. Good. Nice to know no progress has been made."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"The only objection I have to Sugar having the baton stolen form her is that I wasn't the one to do it. Next time, I guess."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Lightning is already a likely contender to win the challenge, so his advantage hurts all of us. I hate to say it, but I might be the only one that can beat him now."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

As the static fades, the focus is back on Chef, who is ready to begin the actual challenge.

"Alright, now begins the fun part of the challenge! First up is... Courtney vs. Dawn!"

Courtney lights up the moment she hears her name being called. Dawn, on the other hand, looks petrified.

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"I've never been good at fighting... and that seems to be all that Courtney does. All I can do is try my best!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

The camera now shows Courtney and Dawn on opposing platforms. Dawn's gripping onto her baton like her life depends on it, while Courtney looks ready to kill.

Chef finally speaks up. "Alright, remember campers! First one to fall in the water loses. Now... on your mark, get set... hurt each other!"

Dawn uses the heavy padding on the baton to protect herself. Courtney wastes no time to hit her in the stomach, and immediately sends her hurdling into the water.

Chef's jaw drops. "Well, that was uneventful... uh, congrats, Courtney, on your one hit knockout! Sorry Dawn, but you're out of the challenge!"

Courtney raises her baton in the air in victory, while Dawn's never looked more disappointed.

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"That was such a pathetic performance. I'm better than that... I _know_ I'm better than that."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chef doesn't miss a beat in announcing the next pair. "Next up is... Sugar vs. DJ!"

DJ looks like he got the wind knocked out of him. Sugar's never looked more eager to partake in a challenge that didn't involve eating.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Step one: beat DJ. Step two: beat Lightning and Courtney. Step three: Invincibility!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"As if one of my allies is going to get beat by Sugar. Bad news: DJ's only aggressive when he's angry. Good news: getting angry at Sugar is the easiest thing in the world."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

DJ and Sugar are already on their respective platforms, with Chef giving them the same spiel Courtney and Dawn received. When the round begins, Sugar takes some sloppy swings to DJ. While he's good at blocking the attempted hits, he's yet to take any swings himself.

At the docks, Courtney takes some initiative and begins to shout out, "Come on, DJ, take a hit! Don't be nice about it; this is _Sugar_ you're fighting!"

Jasmine, quick to catch on to Courtney's intentions, adds in, "Don't forget, she's the reason Lindsay _and_ Leshawna are gone!"

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Okay, so I'm also the reason that Leshawna is gone, but we don't need to focus on that right now."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

It appears their plan has worked, because DJ does look more visibly angry than before. After another sloppy swing by Sugar, the brickhouse straightens out his posture to size up his opponent. He hits her with the baton, which grazes her shoulder. He swings again to hit her on her other side, which is successful. Sugar hits the water soon after, clearly no match for DJ's powerful hits.

"Sugar's out, which means DJ wins this round! B and Jasmine, head out to the platform!"

B and Jasmine give each other a civil glance before diving into the water to get to the platforms. Both are more nervous than they anticipated, given their opponents known skill.

"Alright, it's the last fight of the first round! Winner moves on to face either Lightning, Courtney, or DJ. This should be good. And with that... FIGHT!" Chef declares.

The two powerhouses wasted no time springing into action. To no one's surprise, they prove to be evenly matched. While Jasmine's hits are more brash and forceful, B's are calculated and precise. Jasmine manages to get a near perfect hit in B's chest, which causes him to lose his balance. In a last ditch effort for the win, he swipes his baton across her legs. His attempt proves to be successful when Jasmine falls in the water first.

Sugar, DJ, Courtney, and Lightning all have their jaws slacked in shock by the unexpected win. Even Chef has to take a moment to process what he just witnessed.

"Um... Congrats to B, you will be moving on to the next round! Sorry Jasmine, you've been eliminated."

Jasmine nods her head in acceptance of her fate, but it's hard for her to hide her disappointment.

Courtney and DJ rush to the dock and offer their hands to their ally. Jasmine gratefully accepts their help. Lightning gives them a saddening side glance as he sees his friends' kind interaction. DJ gives him a small wave, only for the jock to turn his head away.

"Don't worry, we'll get them tonight." Courtney whispers to Jasmine. Jasmine smiles at her attempt to be comforting.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Okay, honestly, Jasmine's athletic ability is one of the few that I know I can't compete with. So to see B defeat her in the challenge like that? It's pretty impressive. Now combine that with the fact that he's also a genius and will never vote with me? Yeah, he's gotta go."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

B, on the other hand, looks ecstatic about his win. The only one who seems even happier than B is Dawn.

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"Not only did B make it to the next round, but he got Jasmine out as well. We have to vote for her tonight; we might not get another chance otherwise."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chef wastes no time moving onto the next round of fights. "Alright now, we have our Final Four of the day! Lightning, Courtney, DJ, and B- one of you will win Invincibility! The first two to face off are... Lightning, and... B!"

Both men nod in approval at the choice. Courtney turns to DJ with wide eyes. She whispers to him,"Wait... but then that means..."

DJ then forms an equally shocked expression on his face. "Oh no."

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Really? After all that, I'm gonna have to fight Courtney? Fighting Sugar was hard enough, and I don't even like her!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

While DJ and Courtney continue to internally panic, Lightning and B are getting ready to battle. Both look incredibly focused on their opponent, waiting for Chef to signal for them to start.

Finally, Chef yells out, "Lightning and B... one of you will advance to the final round. Your fight begins... NOW!"

Similarly to the previous fight, Lightning and B prove to be evenly matched opponents. When one strikes, the other blocks. When one gets a hit in, the other is able to maintain their balance.

This is still going on for several minutes, and the outcome is making everyone nervous. There's a pretty clear divide of who everyone is rooting for.

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"Of course I want B to win! He's my ally, and he deserves it. If anyone can beat Lightning, it's him."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

As the fight continues, Courtney gives Jasmine a little nudge to get her attention.

"What is it mate?" Jasmine asks.

Courtney whispers to her, "If B loses Invincibility, we should vote for him tonight. He's a threat to us in competitions."

"Yeah, I guess I know that now more than anyone." Jasmine chuckles.

Courtney can't help but giggle a little as well. "So, what do you think?"

Jasmine looks back up at the continuous battle between Lightning and B. Then she glances back at Sugar and Dawn, who are watching intensely from the sideline.

"I think he's a good choice to go, if he wins, then it should be Dawn. We have to split them up."

"Perfect." Courtney replies with a smirk on her face. She then whispers to DJ the plans they laid out for the night, which he easily agrees to.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"B needs to go as soon as possible. Our alliance clearly has the edge on the physical competitions. B's the only one that can hold his own. Now we just gotta hope Lightning forgives us."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Back to the match, B finally takes a swipe to Lightning's legs; the same move that took Jasmine out last round. Seeming to have learned from her mistakes, Lightning takes a high jump to avoid contact. While in the air, he uses his baton to take a hard hit at B. It's the hit that does him in, as he falls in before Lightning's feet hit the platform.

Chef shouts, "Boys, that fight was something. Both of you would do good work in combat. Sorry B, you're out!"

As the two men swim back to the docks, Jasmine mumbles to Courtney and DJ, "Looks like it's B tonight."

Before either can respond, Chef interrupts with his latest announcement. "Oh, I've been _waiting_ for this one. Courtney and DJ, you're up next."

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Woohoo! Best friends fighting each other? Sign me up! Finally we'll get some real action in here!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Courtney and DJ both look incredibly uncomfortable standing on the platform. It's very clear to everyone that they'd rather be anywhere else right now.

Before Chef announces the fight, Courtney whispers to DJ, "Don't go easy on me, because I'm not going easy on you."

DJ smiles back and says, "Okay."

Chef finally speaks up again. "Courtney and DJ... winner moves on to fight Lightning, loser is out of the game. And now... begin!"

To no one's surprise, Courtney strikes the first blow. What's actually surprising is how fast DJ blocks it.

For awhile it goes on just like that, with Courtney giving powerful strikes and DJ continuing to block them. A couple times it appears that Courtney will finally strike the fatal blow, but DJ continues to come back strong. After a few minutes, Courtney is out of breath from her recklessness.

Once it's clear that she's out of steam, DJ tells her, "Sorry Courtney," before hitting her for the first time with the baton. She falls in easily.

As her head emerges from the water, DJ frantically asks, "Courtney, oh my god, are you okay?"

Shockingly, Courtney laughs loudly at the question. "Yeah DJ, I'm fine. Nice job with the blocks."

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Yeah, Courtney's pretty brash when it comes to fighting. I figured if I could hold my own for long enough, eventually I would tire her out. Kinda cool to see that it worked."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chef hollers out, "Gotta say, that was not the outcome I was expecting. Courtney, you're out of the challenge. DJ, stay where you are, cause you're squaring off against Lightning next!"

DJ's smile drops completely once he hears that. The camera pans over to Lightning, who looks ready to eat him alive.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Lightning's been waiting three days for this. I'm winning Invincibility, and there ain't no way that lying Mama's boy is gonna stop me."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Courtney swims back to the docks as Lightning swims towards them. Once he is facing DJ, his scowl begins to soften a bit.

"Final Round; DJ vs. Lightning! Winner gets Invincibility and is safe from the vote tonight! Fighting can start... NOW!"

Lightning strikes a brutal blow at DJ, which he barely blocks. The scene begins to look like a more vicious version of the the fight between DJ and Courtney.

"Man, I've been trying to tell you for days that I'm sorry about Sky!" DJ says after he tries to get a swing in.

At the mention of Sky's name, Lightning gets even angrier. He swings his baton again and shouts out, "That doesn't make up for the fact that you lied to me! I thought we were friends!"

DJ blocks the hit again. "I know, I shouldn't have lied! I panicked, and I'm sorry! Come on man, you've been my bro all season! We were the only Brawny Beaver guys for weeks. I... I miss us being friends."

At the mention of the word 'friends', Lightning grips the end of his baton, closes his eyes, and begins rapidly swinging it at DJ.

"Lightning. Don't. Need. Friends!"

He hears a loud splash. When he opens his eyes, he sees an empty platform, and DJ emerging from the water. Lightning crouches down in place with his hands over his face. He can barely hear Chef announcing his win.

"DJ is out, which means... Congratulations to Lightning for winning Invincibility! Campers, I will see you all tonight at the Campfire Ceremony. Think about who you want to vote out tonight, and don't do anything stupid."

Despite Chef's dismissal, not a single camper leaves their place. Everyone is focused on Lightning, who has yet to leave his makeshift fetal position. DJ, still in the water, can hear the sounds of him crying.

"Lightning...?" DJ asks cautiously.

Lightning still refuses to show his face, but manages to mumble out, "I miss her so much."

DJ swims over to his friend and reaches out to place his hand on his knee.

"I know you do. We're... we're here if you need it."

Lightning doesn't say anything in response. Instead, he finally stands up from his platform and dives into the lake, swimming away from DJ and any other campers that may try to comfort him. Once he reaches the beach, he runs off without any hesitation. Only once Lightning disappears do the other campers begin to leave the docks.

About an hour later, Dawn goes looking for Lightning. She finds him near the forest; the same spot that he found her on her first night back.

"There you are, I've been looking for you. Your aura looks better than it did a few hours ago." Dawn says gently.

Lightning shrugs. "Well, you found me. I'm guessing you want Lightning's vote tonight?"

Dawn begins to look uneasy. "I did want to discuss tonight's vote with you. But I was also worried about you. People can care about both, you know."

"Yeah... Lightning's starting to figure that out. But anyway, what's the game plan?"

"B, Sugar and I are voting for Jasmine. I think she's a big threat to win. I hope you vote with us."

Lightning looks away from her and says, "Lightning will think about it."

Dawn smiles to him. "Understandable. Congratulations on winning Invincibility."

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"Well, I did all I could this vote. It's up to Lightning now. I guess it's safe to say I don't feel very confident."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Not too long afterwards, Lightning begins to head back to the cabin. On his way he runs into Jasmine, who looks nothing short of relieved to see him.

The Australian wastes no time in laying out their game plan for tonight. "There you are, I've been looking everywhere for you! Long story short, we're voting for B tonight. He proved how good of a competitor he was today. I know things have been shaky lately, but I hope you vote with us. DJ and Courtney hope so too."

Lightning simply responds, "Whatever. Lightning will think about it.

Jasmine begins to grow frustrated. "Come on man, don't be like that. I'm pretty sure we've all apologized for last vote multiple times now. It doesn't mean we didn't care about you or Sky. You know that."

Lightning throws back. "Funny, you have an odd way of showing us that you cared."

Jasmine's expression goes from frustrated to straight angry. "Damn it, I'm tired of walking eggshells around you! Lightning, I'm sorry we lied to you, but it's a _competition_. I knew that when Shawn was voted out, DJ and Courtney understood it when we voted for Leshawna... hell, even Sky understood that at her own elimination! I get it, you're upset and things with Sky are unresolved. But you can't just be nice for Sky's sake! She'll only resent you for it!"

There is a brief pause before Lightning replies viciously, "You know the other three are voting for you right? So you probably shouldn't say that stuff to the person whose vote could save you."

This new information certainly takes Jasmine aback. However, she still holds her ground, not going back on what she said before. "Whatever, Lightning. That rant wasn't strategic. It was personal, and you needed to hear it. That's what _friends_ do."

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Ugh, why did I say all of that? Yes, Lightning needed to hear it. But I think in doing so, I just signed my own death warrant. If I do go home, at least I can say I went out with a bang, right?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"So, Lightning can go either vote out B, who's kind of cool but also a threat, or I can vote out Jasmine, who was my friend but voted for Sky. I think... I think I know what I'm gonna do."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

* * *

 _*Campfire Ceremony*_  
Chef doesn't even waste his time indulging in the same formalities Chris usually puts on.

"Campers, unless you're dumber than even I thought you were, you know how the Campfire Ceremony works. So I ain't wasting any time explaining it. Lightning, you bested everyone at the challenge today and won Invincibility, so here's your marshmallow."

Chef throws the jock his prize, which he catches easily. Though Lightning still has a grumpy look on his face, one can't help but notice there may be a tinge of regret as well.

Nevertheless, Chef continues with, "Sugar, DJ, you both are safe."

He tosses to both of them, who happily receive their marshmallows, though neither are especially surprised to be safe.

"Dawn and Courtney, you get marshmallows too." He says as he throws the remaining safe campers their marshmallows.

The camera now zooms in on Jasmine and B. Though neither are surprised by this outcome, both look understandably scared. Jasmine's the worse of the two, as she looks about two seconds away from her world falling apart. B maintains his composure. If anything, Dawn looks more worried than B does.

Chef speaks up again. "B. Jasmine. You are our bottom two tonight. B, you were targeted for being a physical and strategic threat. Jasmine... uh, basically the same thing. Anyway, the last safe camper of the night is..."

The suspense-building music plays once more. B looks straight ahead so as not to give away just how nervous he actually is. Jasmine and Dawn both turn back to look at Lightning, as if they'll be able to decipher who he voted for. The only thing that snaps them back to reality is when Chef finally gives a name.

"Jasmine."

"No!" Sugar wails. Courtney and DJ let out a sigh of relief. Dawn is visibly upset, and gives B a hug in support. Lightning doesn't show any emotions as he watched the immediate effect his choice has on everyone else.

No one looks more surprised by this result than Jasmine herself. "Wait, really? I'm... I'm safe?"

Chef rolls his eyes. "Like I _said_ , you are the last safe camper tonight. Anymore stupid questions and I will gladly change that for you."

Jasmine holds her hands up in surrender. "No need, this is fine."

Chef now turns his attention to the freshly ousted camper. "B, your time here is done... again. Time to say your goodbyes... or uh, whatever it is you do."

B nods at this, as he appears to have accepted his fate. He leaves each camper with a warm smile and a firm hug, even Lightning. Everyone seems to be relieved that there's no ill will between them and the perpetually silent camper.

As expected, Dawn's the last person to say her goodbyes. She pulls her best friend into a tight embrace, and looks terrified to let go.

"B, I'm sorry I couldn't do more to save you."

B nods. Dawn continues with, "I promise I'll keep fighting. I'll make you proud."

B holds her tighter at this. Though no words are exchanged, Dawn knows what he means; "You've already made me proud."

Chef breaks up the hug to let B know that it's time for the Slingshot of Defeat. The scene then turns to B being placed in the oversized weapon. Given his quiet nature, it's one of the less dramatic send offs. B goes flying over the lake without any final words, and leaves behind six campers that know they will miss his presence; whether they voted for him or not.

As soon as B is gone, Sugar goes stomping off in the direction of the cabins, clearly irritated with Jasmine still being here. Dawn opts to stay by the lake for awhile, clearly needing some time for herself.

When Lightning begins to head back to the cabins himself, he is stopped by the trio that he's been struggling to forgive all week. For the first time in days, Lightning finds himself able to face them.

"You voted with us." Jasmine says bluntly.

"Yeah, I did."

"Even after I voted for Sky."

Lightning takes a deep breath before saying his next piece. "Yeah... look, Lightning voted for B cause he's one of the best at challenges, that's it. But, Lightning's sorry that he was such a jerk to you three. I, uh, haven't had a lot of friends before this. I still miss Sky, but I missed being friends with you guys too. Being a team of one... it's so lonely now."

Courtney's the first to speak up. "I forgive you. I know how you feel. I'm not exactly good with making friends either."

Jasmine doesn't hesitate to add in, "Of course I forgive you. And thanks for not voting for me."

Everyone then turns to DJ, who seems to be conflicted on what to say. At a loss for words, he says what comes to mind; what he needs to make sure gets across to his friend.

"Lightning, I'm still so sorry." He repeats for what must be for the hundredth time this week.

Lightning stops him right there and pulls DJ into a tight hug. "Don't be, Lightning was letting my feelings get to me. DJ, you've been my best bro on this show. Thanks to you... all of you, and Sky... I think I'm more than just a villain now."

DJ chuckles as a reflex, ecstatic to know that they're moving on from such a tough spot. "Lightning, you're definitely more than that... and thanks man. You've been my best bro too."

"Ahem." Courtney interrupts, as if to remind DJ that she's still there.

DJ teasingly waves her off. "Courtney, you're a girl. You can't be best bro. Let us have our moment. "

As the four collectively begin to laugh like old times, the camera pans to Dawn, who's now walking away from the Slingshot of Defeat, alone and in tears. When she sees the camera filming her, she turns to look directly into it.

"To be honest, I'm quite scared to move on without my closest friend. But when I voted for Lindsay, I did it because I didn't want a four-person alliance getting in the way of my win. This is nothing new to me. Fifth Place wasn't good enough for me then, and it isn't good enough for me now. I'll break apart that alliance if it's the last thing I do." Dawn states calmly, only raising her voice at the last sentence.

• **End of Episode Fifteen•**

* * *

 **If there's one thing I love, it's challenges where Chef is hosting. Chef is my favorite of the adults in Total Drama, so I wanted to have at least one chapter where he's in charge. And what better chapter to have him host than a fighting challenge?**

 **Let me know what you thought about the challenge, especially with Chef hosting and Lightning winning Invincibility. Physical challenges are more difficult for me to write, as I believe my strengths as a writer lie with dialogue and internal thoughts. There really was no other way I could have ended the challenge than with Lightning winning and breaking down in tears immediately after. I mainly did this because it adds to his character development, since I don't see him as someone that shows his vulnerable side to others often. Plus I just love a dramatic ending!**

 **Here is the voting lineup for this chapter:**  
 **B- Jasmine**  
 **Courtney- B**  
 **Dawn- Jasmine**  
 **DJ- B**  
 **Jasmine- B**  
 **Lightning- B**  
 **Sugar- Jasmine**

* * *

 **Honestly, I really didn't want to be the person that brought B back only to eliminate him in the next chapter. Unfortunately for B fans, him being eliminated is the only choice that made sense at this moment. Since Jasmine has been targeting pairs, and she definitely wasn't going to go after Courtney and DJ, B and Dawn were the obvious targets for her. Considering what a threat B is in challenges, it's clear which of that duo would be taken out first. Between the two, Dawn has more to prove than B does, and I wanted to write more of Dawn as she's struggling for her place in the competition. With B gone, she's truly on her own. The remaining time Dawn has left in the game will be focused on her fight. Seeing as Dawn is usually more of a peaceful player, I'm excited to show her getting down and dirty.**

 **To those that are fans of Jasmine, DJ, and Courtney's impromptu trio, I just have to say: beware. Dawn, Sugar, and B going after Jasmine was just the tip of the iceberg. We saw a hint of Dawn catching onto Jasmine's strategy last chapter, when she was talking to Sugar about getting rid of Sky. Dawn's clearly at a disadvantage right now, but she's not going down without a fight. She's well aware of just how strong her competitors are, and her awareness may be her greatest asset as this series goes on.**

 **There's no denying that this chapter is heavily focused on Lightning- both in his reactions to losing Sky, and how he plans to move forward with it. I needed this chapter to show how much he has grown over the series, with and without Sky present. When the Sky x Lightning storyline comes to a close, I want my readers to not have any doubts that the final decision made is a healthy one. For that to happen, he needs to show that he isn't going to revert to his less appealing qualities when things don't go his way. Like Jasmine said, Lightning can't just be nice for Sky's sake.**

 **That isn't to say that Lightning isn't justified in being upset about Sky's elimination, but there's a time and place for it. Lightning's hurt, more hurt than he'll probably ever let on, but he knew he eventually had to forgive Jasmine, Courtney, and DJ for their decision. A major theme of this series is separating the personal from the strategic, and it's more evident here than ever. While Jasmine, Courtney, and DJ made a strategic decision, it wasn't an attack on their personal feelings of Lightning or Sky. Sky knew that, and now Lightning has accepted it too.**

 **I paid special attention this chapter to Lightning's relationships with Jasmine, Courtney, and** _ **especially**_ **DJ, because most of his interactions up until this point have been with or about Sky. This make sense, since a large portion of his arc is a romantic one, but Lightning hasn't made it this far just because of his relationship with Sky. Lightning and DJ have been rooming by themselves since Brick was eliminated; it's been just them for a long time. Obviously, they had to have built some type of bond over this time, which helps explain why Lightning and DJ were so hurt when they weren't talking. While their strongest bonds in this series are with Sky and Courtney, I did want to show just a little bit of bromance, since it hasn't really been addressed here. That's basically what that last piece of dialogue was about; yes, Sky and Courtney are their best friends, but Lightning and DJ are best bros.**

 **The next chapter has been fully outlined, and I will begin writing everything out within the next few days. You may want to prepare yourselves for this next one; the ending is definitely one of the more interesting ones.**

 **The next 'episode' is titled, "Does Lightning Strike Twice?" Despite the name, it's not as heavily focused on Lightning as this chapter was, though he does play a big part on it.**

 **Please continue to review, message, favorite and follow the story. Your comments truly mean to world to me!**

 **Stay Beautiful!**  
 **~VintageMadame**

* * *

 **Eliminated: Harold, Topher, Anne Maria, Justin, Shawn, Brick, Jo, Cameron, Leonard, Eva, Lindsay, B (RETURNED), Dawn (RETURNED), Scarlett, Leshawna, Sky, B**


	17. Does Lightning Strike Twice?

**I'm so happy to have this chapter out at long last! Fair warning though, there's a ridiculous amount of yelling and crying. Pretty much every camper cries at some point, so I apologize in advance.**

 **The challenge is a very "wordy" one this time around, which took awhile to plan out and write. But I really wanted to have this challenge in the story, so I did all I could to make it happen. You'll see soon enough!**

 **Still, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and the serious amount of editing and restructuring that went into it!**

* * *

 **Brainy Beetles: Courtney**

 **Brawny Beavers: DJ, Lightning, Jasmine**

 **Beautiful Butterflies: Dawn, Sugar**

* * *

 ***Last Episode Recap***  
"Last time, on Total Drama... the campers learned to never underestimate the power of a broken heart and unrelenting anger. After losing Sky, Lightning reverted back to his more villainous self and vowed to get revenge on the people he once called his friends. Dawn, Courtney, and Jasmine each took a crack at calming him down, with very little success. B and Dawn officially returned to the game, and wasted no time in working towards taking out their biggest threat, Jasmine. At the challenge, a series of violent face offs, B made himself a target when he showed that he was both brain _and_ brawn. Despite that, the final face off of the day was between DJ and Lightning, with the former having spent all week trying to get his bro to forgive him. Lightning ended up snatching Invincibility from his roommate, and broke down in tears immediately after. Once the challenge was over, the camp became split in two. With DJ, Courtney, and Jasmine voting for B, and B, Dawn, and Sugar voting for Jasmine, all eyes were on Lightning to see who he decided to send home. To everyone's shock, Lightning decided to forgive his friends and kept Jasmine over B. The episode ended with warm goodbyes, a touching conversation between forgiven friends, and Dawn vowing to once again break a four-person alliance. Will Dawn follow through with her threats? Who will be the next target for elimination? The answer may surprise you... now, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"  
 ***End Recap***

* * *

Dawn enters her cabin room to find Sugar sitting on her bed with an agitated expression on her face. Dawn wipes the tears off of her cheeks before speaking.

"Hey Sugar."

Sugar turns to see the fellow blonde slowly heading over to her own bed. "Man, I can't believe that just happened!"

Dawn gives her an indifferent shrug. "I'm surprised that you're surprised. Lightning clearly still had an attachment to the other three. His aura made it so clear that he was missing them."

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"I can't be mad at Lightning for voting off B, as much as I want to be. I mean, I am the one that told him to forgive his friends. Hopefully I'll have some good karma coming my way soon."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Sugar looks shocked at Dawn's dejected response. "Wha? How can you be so calm about this? They just sent B home, and they're an even tighter group than before!"

Dawn replies, "Of course I'm upset, B was my best friend in the game. But I had my time to cry it out, and now I want to focus on what'll come next. We'll figure something out. Don't forget, there can't be four winners; and that particular group of four is well aware of that."

Sugar grins happily back and says, "Damn Dawn, when did you get so smart?"

Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupts the conversation. After Dawn tells them it's okay to enter, the door opens to show the other four campers.

"What do you want?" Sugar asks bitterly.

Courtney glares at her. " _We_ were going to see if you two wanted to join us upstairs. DJ and Lightning won't shut up about the awesome fort B made."

Sugar looks appalled at the suggestion. "Why, I would never-"

"I'd love to join you." Dawn says with a smile.

"Wait, what?" Sugar asks.

Dawn nods to her reassuringly. "Yeah, I really want to see the fort. I know B is really good at construction. Plus it'll be nice to forget about the game for awhile."

Jasmine smiles back at the tiny blonde. "I was thinking the same thing. Come on, let's head upstairs."

As Dawn follows the other four upstairs, Sugar begins to trudge behind them, shouting "Well damn, I guess I'll join too!"

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"I'm glad that Dawn isn't holding a grudge, and I'm really glad I wasn't sent home. Figuring out the next step will be trickier though. I just have to make sure I'm the strongest person left."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"Despite what Sugar may think, I'm a free agent for allies now. Siding with her has only gotten me into trouble, so I'd like to see what me options are elsewhere. Plus, it'll be nice to get to know everyone better."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

True to Dawn and Jasmine's words, the night truly was one without much mention of gameplay or strategy. There was sharing of personal stories, laughter, and a general positive feel. It was a much needed break from the constant strategizing and overall wear and tear that came with the competition.

The only mention of the game itself came towards the very end of the night, right after the group was done laughing about some jab DJ made. As the laughter settled down, Jasmine looked around at the group with a deep, contented sigh.

"You know mates, I can't even remember the last time we had a night like this. Ya know, one where we all could just pal around and have a good time."

"Definitely not since the merge hit, that's for sure." Courtney says in agreement. "Everything's been about who to take out next and who's the biggest threat."

"Man, sometimes Lightning misses the Brawny Beaver cabin! We had some good times in there!" Lightning exclaims.

"Yeah, I certainly didn't expect our team, with everyone being as stubborn as they are, to get on so well." Jasmine adds in.

DJ chuckles as memories of the Brawn team come seeping back into his mind. "We really did have a solid team. I don't think either of the other ones were as close as we were. No offense, guys." He gestures to Courtney, Dawn, and Sugar.

Courtney waves his comment off. "None taken, the Brainy Beetles were definitely not close. No one trusted each other, and with good reason too."

"And us here Beautiful Butterflies had a lot of problems too! Leshawna was just full of snide comments all the time!" Sugar tells everyone.

Dawn decides to throw in her own opinion. "Still, I'd say for the most part, I enjoyed our time on the Beautiful Butterflies, especially after our double elimination. Lindsay and Leshawna were great team mates and friends to have."

"Still wishing you had changed your vote?" Sugar asked, silently challenging her to say that she did.

But to everyone's shock, Dawn shakes her head no. "What's done is done. I can't change my vote, and Lindsay said she forgave me before she left. But it still got me to this point, albeit under more complicated circumstances."

There's a moment of silence, which Dawn uses to prepare herself for some type of snarky rebuttal. However, it never comes. Not even Courtney has anything to say about it. When she looks around at the other campers, all she is met with is approving smiles and a particular impressed look courtesy of Jasmine.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Dawn's putting way more thought into her gameplay the second time around. I still don't know if I should be impressed or concerned."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Courtney finally answers Dawn's declaration with, "I'm sure everyone here as had less than stellar moments, but like you said, our choices got us to this point. If anything, I wish I had gotten to know the other Brainy Beetles better. Cameron and I were becoming friends, but then we had to vote him out. Shawn and B seemed like good guys too."

"He is." Jasmine and Dawn said simultaneously. It didn't take much to know which Brainy Beetle each of them were specifically referring to.

Lightning nervously scratches the back of his head. "Yeah... speaking of which, Dawn, I'm sorry I voted out B. Lightning knows you two were tight, so it's gotta be hard for you."

Dawn gives the jock a light smile, putting his mind more at ease than before. "Like I said, what's done is done. But don't expect to earn Invincibility so easily next time." She teases.

Lightning erupts in laughter at this. "Bring it on, shorty! Lightning's gonna strike again and win Invincibility twice in a row!"

Everyone laughs at Lightning's unwavering, and not exactly unfounded, confidence. The only one that doesn't laugh is Sugar. One could practically see the wheels turning in her head.

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Well, Dawn did say I should be more strategic... which means I should start targeting the big threats! And who's a bigger threat than the guy that just won Invincibility? Since we got 4 girls and 2 guys, I'm sure I can make a convincing argument to get Lightning outta here!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Everyone goes to bed shortly after that, with the women all heading downstairs and the men remaining in the fort; neither of them showing an inclination to tear down B's creation anytime soon.

The next morning they are woken up to the alarm that suggests a challenge will take place today. This is to everyone's surprise, as they haven't had back-to-back challenges in awhile.

True to the gender stereotype, DJ and Lightning don't do much to get ready; they merely do a sniff check for (what they guess is) a clean shirt and head out to the Mess Hall. They don't wait for their friends anymore, as they know they'll just meet up whenever the women are done getting ready.

It doesn't offend anyone that they choose not to wait. In fact, Sugar was counting on it in order to set her new plan into motion. Once the guys are out of earshot, she begins to address her three other cabin mates aloud.

"Alright ladies, I think it's about damn time that we addressed the dang elephant in the room." Sugar unceremoniously announces.

"Oh thank god! Sugar, your snoring has gotten way out of hand lately..." Courtney begins to say.

Sugar interrupts with, "No, no, no!" I'm talking about Lightning. He's clearly the strongest player left. He beat B and DJ the other day while barely breaking a sweat. Hell, I doubt any of us could beat him in the Finale!"

Dawn and Jasmine seem to be thinking over Sugar's words, while Courtney just rolls her eyes and bluntly tells her, "You're just mad that he stole the baton from you last challenge. Not to mention that if you lose Invincibility this week, it's clearly going to be you going home."

"Well fine, Courtney. You can vote me out if you wanna, but don't 'cha be surprised when he wins his way to the Finale!" Sugar yells back.

Jasmine and Dawn can see Courtney's face getting red from anger. If they were to guess, they'd say that this is the build-up of having to deal with Sugar for weeks.

"I'd rather take my chances with Lightning then let you get by another week here! If you don't think I can see through your little act, you're sadly mistaken!" Courtney yells to the pageant queen.

"Courtney, calm down mate..." Jasmine says soothingly.

But Courtney merely interjects with, "No! Jasmine, Dawn, how can you pretend that she's even remotely trustworthy? Because as soon as Lightning's gone, she's just going to cheat her way to the Final Two. Sugar, you've been exploiting people's strengths for weeks now. It's time you finally got called out on it."

Sugar throws back, "Well, what about you, Miss C.I.T.? You been tryin' to prove to everyone how much you changed, but you're still the same bitter control freak as before! You think protectin' Lightning will show that you're all nice now? All it'll prove is that you're gonna lose for a fifth time!"

Courtney pauses for a moment before speaking again, the frustration never leaving her face. Her initial instinct is to lash out at Sugar, but she doesn't want to prove her right; that she hasn't changed. So instead she begins to slowly make her way towards the door.

Before she makes her exit, she turns to the other three and says in a dangerously threatening tone, "I going to beat you, Sugar. One way or another, I'm going to prove that I'm better than you. Because you'll fall victim to your faults, every time." She leaves immediately after.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"I don't care what she thinks- I put a lot of work into getting this far, both as an individual and as a game player. One way or another, Sugar's gonna get it."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Once Courtney is gone, Jasmine finishes tying up her shoes and prepares to head out after her. Before she can leave, Sugar speaks again.

"Boy, Courtney sure is all dramatic and stuff! Who woulda' ever thought she'd be protective over Lightning? But anyway, I still think we should go for him. Whatta two say?"

An uncomfortable Dawn says quietly through her grimace, "I... would consider it, at least. But it's too early to be talking about it right now. Yesterday was very emotional for everyone, so I think this talk is making people rather uncomfortable."

Sugar replies with, "Psh, calm down Dawn, it's part of the game! I'm sure someone like Jasmine would at least understand! Right, Jasmine?"

The Australian clenched her teeth at the mention of her name, as she was hoping to be left out of this conversation. Seeing no way out of it, she begrudgingly gives as neutral of a reply as she can.

"Look, you guys... this really isn't something I can do right now. Lightning and I just made up, and he's the reason I'm still here. If I vote him out now, I'll lose the respect and allies I worked so hard for."

"So you're just gonna stay with him because you feel like you gotta? That's how you lose the game!" An agitated Sugar tells her.

Jasmine shakes her head. "Sugar, I'm going to do what I need to to win. Make no mistake, every choice I've made so far has been because it was best for me, and _me alone_. I'm not saying I won't vote for anyone at this point, but you'll have to make a pretty convincing argument for me to betray the person that just saved me."

Before Sugar and Dawn can say anything, Jasmine is out the door, heading over to the dining hall to meet with the other three.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Look, its not that voting for Lightning is a bad idea, it's just that I'd lose DJ and Courtney's support if I made that decision, especially since we all just made up. If we can take out Sugar this week, maybe we can reopen the discussion at the Final Five."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"And that, right there, is the difference between Jasmine and Courtney. Courtney is an emotional player that can't help but be impulsive. Jasmine's well liked, and arguably the most strategic of the Final Six. Even her responses to Sugar and I were calculated. If anyone's a threat to all of us, it's her."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

When Jasmine reaches the dining room, she's surprised to find Courtney standing in front of the door, clearly waiting for her arrival. When the taller woman approaches her, Courtney looks around to make sure that there is no one else trailing begin.

"You're safe, I left the other two at the cabin." Jasmine explained.

Courtney solemnly nods and bites her bottom lip, unsure of what would be the appropriate way to address the last conversation they had.

"The plan is still to take out Sugar next, right?" Courtney finally mutters to Jasmine.

Jasmine nods. "Obviously. We just have to make sure that she doesn't win Invincibility."

"And if she does?"

"We may have to consider Sugar's suggestion."

"And if they both lose Invincibility?" Courtney asks again, this time more uneasily.

Jasmine pauses for a moment to decide if she should be fully honest. She concludes that lying to Courtney at this point will only end poorly for her, so she says, "Like I said, we should keep all of our options open."

Courtney appears to be satisfied with that answer, much to Jasmine's relief. "... Okay. Not a word of this to DJ until we know for sure though."

Jasmine grins. "It's like you read my mind."

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"I needed to speak with Jasmine alone to see where her head is at. Now I get keeping an open mind to the possibilities, but I don't like where this is heading. Keeping Sugar over Lightning is a huge mistake, one that I don't intend on making. I'm going to do everything I can to ensure that they don't even get the option to send him home tonight."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

After Jasmine's confirmation, the two finally head inside to meet with DJ and Lightning. The guys immediately pick up on Courtney's agitated state. Lightning seems hesitant to bring it up. However, DJ, having been her closest friend for weeks, has no such qualms.

"What's wrong? Something happen at the cabins?"

Jasmine looks nervously over to Courtney, unsure if she will spill on everything that just occurred. To her relief, Courtney simply plops down next to DJ and mutters out, "Sugar's just annoying. I hate her."

DJ gives her a light pat on the back. "I know. We'll get her out soon."

At that, Lightning begins to shake his head vigorously. "Sha-yes! We'll kick ass in the Invincibility challenge, no doubt."

Courtney's eyes go to Jasmine, silently telling her to pay attention to Lightning's loyalty. Jasmine gives her a brief nod, but says nothing.

Courtney replies to the jock by saying, "Exactly. Unless it's another eating challenge, I'd say we'll have no problem."

At that, Dawn and Sugar enter the dining hall, with Dawn looking incredibly nervous. Only when DJ and Lightning greet them normally does she conclude that Courtney and Jasmine haven't informed them about what went on in their cabins.

Once they sit down, breakfast resumes without a hitch. Everyone is getting along as they did last night; even Sugar is on her best behavior.

After another 20 minutes have passed, Chris' voice comes on over the intercom.

"Good morning campers! Miss me last challenge?"

"No." Courtney answers matter-of-factly.

Chris continues with, "Ignoring that. _Anyway_ , please exit the dining hall and head towards the stage. Ya know, the one we had the talent show at? Your next challenge is there."

Dawn and Sugar perk up a little at the mention of the stage, which indicates that this won't be the physical challenge that the other four were hoping for. Still, no one says anything that would show their disappointment, and everyone slowly begins to leave like Chris instructed them.

Courtney and Lightning are the first two out the door, both looking more unsure of themselves than they have in a long time.

"Lightning's not sure if he'll do too hot in this challenge." He tells Courtney dejectedly.

Courtney shakes her head in disbelief. "We don't even know what the challenge is. And you've already proven yourself once, no reason that you can't win again."

"Yeah, but you and DJ have both won Invincibility before too."

Courtney lets out a tired sigh. "True, but they were under different circumstances. Heather never intended to get DJ out during the Saboteur challenge, and you and Scarlett threw the challenge for my win."

Lightning shrugs. "Still, a wins a win. And Lightning's glad he threw the challenge to you. We got a lot closer after that."

"Huh... I guess you're right." Courtney replies, truly unable to hide the smile that Lightning's encouragement put there.

Meanwhile, Jasmine and Sugar are a few yards behind them, having a conversation of their own.

"So, you think you'll do it?" Sugar asks excitedly.

Jasmine lets out a deep, surrendering sigh. "I don't know, Sugar, I have a lot to think about. Just leave it alone for right now, okay?"

Sugar looks annoyed at this, but more or less agrees to her terms, if her curt reply of "Fine," was any indication.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"I know it's awful of me to even consider voting out anyone besides Sugar at this point. But I can't make any definitive decisions until after the challenge anyway. So if everyone could get of my back for awhile, that'd be great."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Towards the very end is DJ and Dawn, who both look rather uneasy right now.

Finally DJ speaks up. "Um, Dawn... are you okay?"

A confused Dawn replies, "I'm doing fine... may I ask what brought on the question?"

"Oh... well, I just know it's gotta be hard losing your closest friend in the game. So I just wanted to check in to see that you were doing okay." DJ explains.

"Thank you DJ, that's very kind of you." An astonished Dawn tells him.

"No problem, that's what friends are for."

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Come on, not everything has to be about the game. I just wanted Dawn to know she still has people that care about her. It has nothing to do with strategy, it's just me being nice."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

With DJ and Dawn finally reaching the stage, the campers are all there to hear about the impending challenge. There are six different colored podiums set up on the stage, each one having a camper's name written on the front. Sugar's podium is pink, Dawn's is purple, Courtney's is blue, Jasmine's is green, Lightning's is red, and DJ's is yellow. At the very end of the stage stands Chris and Chef, the former of which has a microphone in his hand, and the latter wearing the award show dress he wore frequently in the second season.

"Good morning, Campers! Ready to hear about your next Invincibility challenge?" Chris asks the Final Six.

"Boy, am I! This looks real different!" Sugar yells back.

Chris rolls his eyes and continues with his speech. "Yes, well, that's because today's challenge will be a quiz, Sugar; something I'm sure you're not used to doing well on."

"Hey!" Sugar squeals.

Dawn raises an eyebrow in interest. "A quiz? What kind of quiz?"

Chris lights up at the question. "I'm glad you asked, Dawn! Here's how today will work; the questions we ask today will be all about this season of Total Drama; be it the contestants, the challenges, or the Campfire Ceremonies. There will be three rounds of five questions, with each round covering a different category. At the end of each round, the two players with the lowest scores will be eliminated. The winner of Invincibility will be the person with the highest score at the end of the third round. Any questions?"

For the first time in awhile, it seems that no one has anything to ask. Of course, Chris couldn't just leave the challenge be. He couldn't resist throwing in another complication to what may have been the simplest challenge for them otherwise.

Chef holds up a golden envelope before the campers, as Chris begins to give them an explanation. "There is also a second option today, for one of you. If you feel secure enough in your place in the game, you have the option to sit out the Invincibility challenge. The first person to accept this offer will receive a special power that will be revealed at the end of the challenge. However, you will be ineligible for Invincibility."

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Throwing a challenge at this stage in the game? Yeah, not happening."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"I just got back in the game, only to lose my closest ally immediately after. If anyone needs Invincibility, it's me."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Whatever this special power is can't be more powerful than Invincibility. Only a total idiot would chose to sit out safety. And Lightning ain't no dummy."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Ooooh, me! Me! Pick me, I want it!" Sugar volunteers, jumping up and down repeatedly to get Chris' attention, as if he wasn't a mere twenty feet away from her.

Chris rolls his eyes at the spectacle before him. "Alright, alright, jeez! Sugar, Congratulations, you win this special power. You can't see what it is until the end of the challenge."

Chef hands her the golden envelope, which Sugar greedily snatches from him. DJ, Courtney, and Lightning all look annoyed at their view, while Dawn and Jasmine both look incredibly concerned.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"Well, Sugar's out of the challenge... but something isn't adding up. Maybe I should've tried to get the special power myself. I guess I'll find out soon if I made the right choice."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"I'm not sure what this means, but all I know is that Sugar should not have a special power of any kind."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

"Alright, alright, now that all of that is out of the way, can we please begin the challenge? Campers, up to your respective podiums, stat!" Chris orders. The remaining five competitors do as they're told and begin to make their way towards the stage.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"This couldn't be more perfect. The challenge is a _quiz;_ a.k.a. a _Brain_ challenge. And who's the only Brainy Beetle left? That's right, me. I know Dawn has been studying the game since she was eliminated, so she's the only competition that I'm slightly concerned about."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Okay, so Lightning has never been too good with tests, _but,_ this is a test about the competition, and Lightning's all about the competition! If there's ever a quiz that I could ace, it's gotta be this one- right?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

We now see the five remaining contestants at their respective podiums, with the light from Sugar's podium dimmed out. Dawn and Courtney appear to be the most confident, while all three former Brawny Beavers look less so.

Chris and Chef are stationed on the far right of the stage at a larger podium of their own, with Chris holding a stack of cards. He begins to give another spiel into the podium's microphone to begin the competition.

"Alright campers, it's time to begin Round 1 of our Invincibility challenge! Since Sugar opted to sit out, we will only eliminate the single camper with the lowest score for this part. And the category is... 'Guess the Challenge'! For each question, I will give you a statement that applies to only one challenge that we've had over the course of the season. Using the stack of cards in front of you, all you have to do is show me the card that has the correct challenge. Get it right, you get a point. Get it wrong, you get nada. All clear?"

"Yes!" Everyone shouts.

"Alright, let's begin!"

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"I think I have a decent shot at this challenge. It's certainly the only one I may have a leg up on over any of the Brawn campers. My only concern is that the two weeks I wasn't here may come back to bite me."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris begins to read from his first card. "Okay campers, tell me the challenge... that the Brawny Beavers had their first loss."

DJ, Jasmine, and Lightning all collectively groan at this. Not only do they know the answer, they remember how emotional that entire day was for all of them. Everyone, including Dawn and Courtney, give the same answer.

Chris yells out, "You've all answered '5th Challenge- Dodgeball'... and you're right! One point for all of you! Next question- guess the challenge... that the Beautiful Butterflies had their first 1st place win."

The answers vary more this time. DJ and Jasmine answer '7th Challenge- Fashion Show', Dawn and Courtney answer '4th Challenge- Rescue Missing Camper', and Lightning answers '6th Challenge- Nighttime Challenge'".

Chris says, "And Dawn and Courtney both get it right with the 'Rescue Missing Camper' challenge! Dawn and Courtney have two points, everyone else has one. Next question... tell me the first challenge the Brainy Beetles competed in with a three member team."

This time, Dawn and Courtney answer '8th Challenge- Hide and Seek', while DJ, Jasmine, and Lightning say '9th Challenge- Talent Show'.

"And the correct answer is... '8th Challenge- Hide and Seek'! Once again, Dawn and Courtney are the only ones to get it right, putting them at three points each!"

Dawn and Courtney both look giddy with excitement at their lead. DJ, Jasmine, and Lightning look understandably agitated.

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"So quizzes clearly aren't my strong suit. Maybe I should've taken that special power after all."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris begins again with, "Alright, onto the fourth question of round one! Campers, name me the _first_ challenge... where the entire team was not required to participate."

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Lightning remembers this challenge, because he was mad he didn't get to play! We still got second place though."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Everyone but Dawn guesses the same answer. Dawn guesses '4th Challenge- Rescue Missing Camper'.

"And the correct answer is... '3rd Challenge-Chicken Fight'! Everyone but Dawn got it right. That puts Courtney at four points this round, Dawn still at three, and DJ, Jasmine, and Lightning at two points each. Which means... congratulations Courtney, you automatically advance to Round 2! Everyone else has to answer the last question!" Chris announces. Courtney looks incredibly pleased with herself, while the others are more nervous.

Chris begins to speak once more. "Okay campers, in honor of our first place finisher of Round 1... guess the challenge that Courtney alone won the challenge for her team."

Everyone but DJ looks unsure of their answer.

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Of course I know this answer- I was with her for the entire challenge!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Er... Lightning doesn't really know the answer, so he's going with the challenge that he didn't see Courtney for the entire time."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Jasmine answers '5th Challenge- Dodgeball', Dawn answers '9th Challenge- Talent Show', while DJ and Lightning answer '8th Challenge- Hide and Seek'.

Chris yells out, "The correct answer is once again '8th Challenge- Hide and Seek'! DJ and Lightning both got it right, putting the final tally and three points for them and Dawn, and two points for Jasmine! Sorry Jasmine, but you're out of the challenge!"

Jasmine nods sadly as the light from her podium dims out. She walks off the stage and heads to the seating to sit next to Sugar.

"Alright, time for Round 2, which I will hand over to Chef!" Chris says as he hands over the mic to his well-dressed assistant.

Chef wastes no time explaining the next round. "Round 2 is called 'Brain, Brawn, or Beauty?'. I'll ask you a question that applies to one camper, and your answer will be whatever team that camper was on. Easy enough? Good! First question: Who was the first person to hit the water at the cliff-diving challenge?"

It takes a moment for them to realize they've been asked their first question. They all seem pretty confident in their answers, even though they've answered differently. Courtney and Lightning answer 'Brain', while DJ and Dawn answer 'Beauty'.

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"Sugar jumped in first, so the answer has to be 'Beauty'."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Leonard was pushed in by Sugar, so the answer is 'Brain'."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chef shouts out, "And the correct answer is 'Brain'! Leonard was pushed in by Sugar at the first challenge. Lightning and Courtney each get a point. Question two: Who first won individual Invincibility?"

Courtney, Dawn, and DJ all answer 'Beauty', while Lightning picks 'Brawn'.

"And the answer is 'Beauty'! While DJ was the first sole person to win Invincibility during a challenge, individual Invincibility was first awarded the week we did Heroes and Villains teams. Since Heroes went first, Leshawna's the first person to win Invincibility. That puts Courtney at two points, and everyone else at one. Next question: Who was the last camper to receive votes for elimination?" Chef tells them.

Courtney and Dawn both answer 'Beauty', while DJ and Lightning answer 'Brawn'.

Chef explains, "The correct answer is 'Beauty'! Leshawna only received votes the day she was eliminated. Everyone else has received a vote at some point. Courtney has three points, Dawn has two, Lightning and DJ have one. Now, question four: Which team had the most people receive votes in a single Campfire Ceremony?"

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"Man, I remember this one. Definitely one of the worst Campfire Ceremonies I've ever been to."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

This time, everyone answers whichever team they were on at the beginning of the game.

"And the correct answer is... Brawn! In their double elimination, Jo, Brick, DJ, Jasmine, and Eva all received votes to go home. Lightning and DJ got it right, which puts the score at three points for Courtney, two points for everyone else." Chef explains before moving on to the final question.

"And now... for the final question of Round 2... who has received more elimination votes than any other contestant this season? This means the number of votes received in the game _overall_ , regardless if they have actually been eliminated or not."

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Man, Lightning doesn't know this! Well... Courtney told me Scarlett caused a lot of trouble even before the merge, so maybe her?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"I know the Brainy Beetles went to a lot of Campfire Ceremonies, but Sugar's constantly been in the Bottom Two. Those votes had to have added up!"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

When the players reveal their answers, we see that Dawn and DJ have both picked 'Beauty', and Courtney and Lightning answered 'Brain'.

After a dramatic pause to build up the tension, Chef finally gives them the answer. "The camper who has received the most votes is a... Brain! Scarlett received 10 votes at 4 separate Campfire ceremonies. Lightning and Courtney both got it right, which puts their final score for Round 2 at four points for Courtney and three for Lightning. Dawn and DJ, with two points each, you have both been eliminated."

The lights dim out on Dawn's purple podium and DJ's yellow one. Both of them walk solemnly over to where Jasmine and Sugar are sitting to watch the final two contestants duke it out.

Back on the stage, Chef has handed the microphone back to Chris. While Chris begins to fiddle with the device, Chef proceeds to hand a dry-erase board and marker to both Courtney and Lightning.

Once they each receive their materials, Chris begins his speech for the final round.

"Courtney, Lightning, congratulations on being the final two of this challenge! One of you will be safe tonight, and the other will be disappointed. And now, the category for Round 3 is... 'What's Your Number?'. It's exactly what it sounds like; I'll give you a question, and the answer will be a number. Write down the correct number, you get a point. The player with the most points at the end of this round will win Invincibility. We good?"

Both of them nod quickly. Despite her current standing, Courtney looks unsure of herself. She glances over to Lightning, who flashes her a reassuring smile in return. She looks down at her dry-erase board, feeling even worse than before.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Sha-bam, Lightning's in the final round! Who would'a ever thought I'd do good on a quiz? Just goes to show that I'm one of the best at competition... and guessing."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Of all the challenges we've had, this is the one of the ones I'm the most confident about. And of course, my last opponent is the person who not only may be going home tonight over _Sugar_ , but also threw an Invincibility challenge to me. There's a lot I need to think about, and not a lot of time left to make a decision."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Chris clears his throat to finally begin the round. "Alright you two, first question is an easy one: How many campers from this season have made it to the finale before?"

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Well, Shawn and Cameron were both targeted for being winners, and I know Sky and Lightning were their opponents in their respective seasons. Pretty easy to figure out."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Both of them waste no time in writing down the number '4'. Chris confirms their confidence when he speaks again.

"And the correct answer is '4'! Cameron and Lightning were the finalists of Season 4, while Shawn and Sky were the finalists of Season 6. You both got it right, so you both get a point! Question two: How many campers from this season competed in All-Stars?"

Both of them right down '5' just as quickly as they wrote the previous answer.

Once they're both finished writing it down, Chris says, "Indeed, the answer is '5'! Lightning, Courtney, Cameron, Lindsay, and Jo all competed in All-Stars. You both got it right, and are at two points each. But beware, the questions are going to get harder! Now, next question... how many times this season have we shown campers' voting confessionals _during_ the Campfire Ceremony?"

The pair looks a little more unsure of themselves this time, trying to remember all of their past voting ceremonies in a matter of seconds.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Lightning remembers them showing our confessionals when Eva got kicked off. And there's gotta be like one more, I think."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

When they finally do write down their answers, we see a giant '1' on Courtney's board, and a shaky '2' on Lightning's. Chris smirks when he sees that they finally have different answers.

He announces to everyone, "And the answer we are looking for is '2'. We played voting confessionals at the Beautiful Butterflies' double elimination, and again at the Brawny Beavers' 2nd Campfire Ceremony. Only Lightning got it right, which means he's in the lead with three points over Courtney's two. Gonna be honest, did not see that coming."

Courtney growls in annoyance at the host's snide remarks while Lightning just chuckles. Chris shrugs it off before moving onto the next question.

"Alright, settle down and listen up for question four... How many campers were at the Campfire Ceremony with the largest attendance?"

After hearing the question, Lightning's face scrunches up as he tries to remember all the Campfire Ceremonies he's attended. Courtney begins to count with her fingers before her eyes light up in excitement.

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"How many people did we have at the merge? Lightning thinks it was 8. Or was it 7?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Heroes and Villains week. Two teams of five attending the same Campfire Ceremony, making the correct answer 10."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Lightning shows Chris a white board with the number '8' on it, while Courtney shows off her '10' proudly.

Chris speaks up once they've both shown their answers. "The largest attendance we had at a Campfire Ceremony this season is... 10! We had ten campers attend our third double elimination right before the merge. And with that, we are all tied up with two points each! Courtney and Lightning, we're now moving onto our final question of Round 3. If one of you gets it right, you will win Invincibility. Our final question is... How many campers competing this season, have _ever_ been eliminated for any reason other than a regular vote?"

Courtney and Lightning both look at each other in confusion, clearly lost and unprepared for the amount of thought they'll have to put into this answer.

"Reasons can include medical evacuation, quitting, disqualified during a challenge... anytime someone lost the game besides being properly voted off."

If anything, this just makes things worse for the two, as it just gives them more to think about.

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Well, I got kicked off in Island because _Harold_ rigged the votes..."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Sky and I both lost in our finales, does that count?"  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"And Lindsay was disqualified during a challenge that same season... and so was DJ. And don't even get me started on the jury 'voting out' Leshawna."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"I remember Anne Maria quit during Revenge of the Island."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Well, 10 got me a point last question, so let's try it again."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Man, it's too hard keeping track! There was like, what, 20 of us on this season? I'm writing down 15. Close enough."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Both campers show their answers to Chris, as well as the ousted campers below the stage. From the looks of the four staring up at them, it seems that no one but the host knows the answer. The wicked smirk he's sporting shows he's reveling in everyone's uncertainty.

"Alright campers... and the answer to the last question of Round 3 is... 12!"

"Huh?" Everyone asks in unison.

"Yup, of everyone that competed this season, 12 of you have been eliminated in some way other than a regular vote. Courtney was sent home due to rigged votes, Lightning and Sky both lost in the Final Two, Leshawna was eliminated by a jury vote, Cameron had a medical evacuation, Harold and Anne Maria both quit, and Lindsay, Scarlett, DJ, Sugar, and Jasmine have been disqualified in someway or another during a challenge. That adds up to 12. And since no one got it right, that means... we get to do a dramatic tie breaker!"

Lightning and Courtney both groan at this, as they are more than ready for this challenge to be over with.

"Man, Lightning can't believe he's gotten this far." The jock whispers to his opponent.

Courtney solemnly nods at this. "Yeah, it's been a crazy challenge."

"No, Lighting meant in the game. I wouldn't have done so well in the challenge if I didn't make the friends I did. Hell, we've both come really far, ya know?" Lightning corrects her.

Courtney can feel her eyes heating up at this. She wipes away any potential tears that may have formed. "Yeah, we really have."

Suddenly, Chris interrupts them with a brash, "Uh, excuse me!? Save the touching moments for the Campfire Ceremony please. And anyway, it's time for your tiebreaker question. Ready? I hope so, because here it is! Lightning, Courtney: Of the contestants I just listed, who is the only camper to have played more than twice, never win, but also never been eliminated by a regular vote?"

Courtney keeps a straight face as she quietly does some calculations in her head. She begins to quietly write down an answer on her white board.

Lightning, on the other hand, looks more perplexed than he has throughout the entire challenge. Every time he begins to write something down, he immediately erases it to write something new.

Below the stage, the other campers are in various states of confusion. Sugar isn't even trying to figure it out, while Dawn and Jasmine are clearly deep in thought about it. Much to everyone's surprise, DJ is sporting a serious expression that could match Courtney's.

"You look like you know the answer." Jasmine whispers to him.

DJ nods. "I do. I'm pretty sure Courtney does too."

Back on the stage, Courtney looks over to a disheveled Lightning. When he sees her looking over to him, he responds with an indifferent shrug.

"Lightning don't know the answer. I guess I should've expected this to happen to me on a quiz challenge." He tells her.

An agitated Courtney looks away from her opponent to stare back at her whiteboard. From the way she's looking at her answer, you'd think she's trying to burn a hole through it. Finally, with a discontented sigh, she erases the name that she wrote.

"Yeah... it's a tough one."

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"I know the answer. Invincibility is in my grasp. But I'm putting an ally in danger by winning. I'm about to take a risk, and I hope it pays off. Lightning, you threw an Invincibility challenge for me when I needed it, so now I'm returning the favor."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Courtney looks straight ahead as she whispers to Lightning. "You know, this seems kind of unfair. I mean, of course they would make the answer to the tie breaker my best friend. They kind of pushed the scales in my favor, huh?"

"Sha-what?" Lightning's eyes go wide in shock.

"Yes, Lightning?" Courtney asks calmly.

"What are you doing?"

"Repaying a debt. And taking a risk. Write down the answer."

"But-" Lightning stutters out.

But Courtney is quick to interject with, "Lightning. Write it down."

 ***Confessional- Lightning***  
"Well, Courtney does seem sha-confident in what she's doing, and Lightning does want Invincibility... I don't know man, something don't feel right."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Finally, the pair shows everyone their answers. Lightning has 'DJ' written down, while Courtney's white board reads "Lindsay".

"Oh my god." DJ squeaks out.

"What?" Jasmine asks.

"She... she threw it to him." DJ tells her.

Chris' next announcement only supports DJ's conclusion.

"And the correct answer is... DJ! He has been disqualified from challenges twice, and quit once. Which means... congratulations Lightning, you have won your second Invincibility in a row! You are safe from the vote tonight!"

"Sha-bam! Yes!" Lightning shouts, victoriously shooting his hand in the air. He then quickly pulls Courtney into a tight hug and whispers a "thank you," to her.

Courtney smiles and whispers "you're welcome," in return.

An agitated Sugar whips her gold envelope on the floor and yells, "Ah, shoot! That ain't fair!"

Chris smirks down on the irritated pageant queen. "Are you sure, Sugar? You might wanna pick up that envelope. Campers, gather around, it's time for you to hear what Sugar's special power is."

The five other campers, Chris, and Chef all form a circle around the blonde. She opens her golden envelope, reads aloud what the paper inside says.

"Congratulations on receiving the golden envelope. Your special power is... you will cast the only vote at tonight's Campfire Ceremony!"

Sugar lets out a bellowing laugh after reading the last portion of her note. Everyone else is dead silent.

"...What." Jasmine finally says quietly.

Chris gives everyone a curt nod. "Yup, Sugar's the only one that has a say in tonight's Campfire Ceremony. Honestly, not who I was hoping would get that power. The only person she can't vote out is Lightning."

Courtney is practically shaking in her spot, a wave of thoughts and emotions crashing down on her all at once. "But.. but that means..."

Still laughing, Sugar points to Courtney and tells her, "You gave away Invincibility, and now you're going home! Haha, this is the best day of my life!"

Having heard enough, Dawn finally interrupts her boasting. "Sugar, stop it! That's so unnecessary. Courtney, I'm so-"

But when she turns to face the brunette, there's no one there. Courtney's already disappeared from the group.

Chris speaks up once more. "Well, a lot can happen in a few hours. Campers, I'll see you all at tonight's Campfire Ceremony, where Sugar's vote will send _someone_ home."

The group disperses after that. DJ runs off towards part of the forest, telling everyone that he's going to go find Courtney. An elated Sugar and irritated Dawn head towards the cabin. Lastly, Lightning pulls Jasmine aside, and they walk towards the docks together.

"Jasmine, we gotta do something! We can't just let Sugar sha-send Courtney home!" Lightning pleads with her.

Jasmine sullenly looks up at her former teammates and says shakily. "There's nothing we can do, Lightning. And please don't try to."

"No, there's gotta be something! Maybe we can get her to vote for Dawn? Or-"

Jasmine puts her hand over Lightning's mouth and says to him in an even tone, "Lightning, listen to me. Sugar's not going to send Dawn home, she's the closest thing she has to an ally. And right now, she seems decided on voting for Courtney. If you convince her otherwise, who's left for Sugar to pick from?"

"... you and DJ". Lightning mumbles out.

Jasmine shakes her head 'yes'. "Lightning, I'm asking you as a friend, and a teammate, to leave this alone. I don't want to go home tonight. Please don't choose between your alliance members. At least this way, Sugar's making the hard choice for us. There's nothing more either of us can do."

After a brief pause, Lightning nods his head slowly. "Alright."

Jasmine pulls him into a hug. Only then does she let the tears fall from her face.

"Thank you."

 ***Confessional- Jasmine***  
"It's going to be a hard night. As much as I want to protect my friends, I don't want to put myself at risk. Sugar's mind changes too easily for me to feel safe tonight. For the first time since Shawn left, I feel powerless in the game. And it sucks."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

After about half an hour of combing through the forest, DJ heads back to the cabins, deciding to wait until Courtney comes back.

What he didn't expect was to hear sniffling sounds in his room inside the blanket fort. Once he lifts up a blanket, he find his brunette best friend curled up in a ball and sniffling.

"Sugar and Dawn are downstairs, I didn't want them to see me like this." Courtney explains.

DJ nods at this, unaffected by the fact that Courtney just let herself in the guys' room. Truth be told, he's only surprised at how unsurprised he is.

"Can I come in?" DJ asks.

Courtney shakes her head and moves over a little to make room for him. DJ crawls in, but makes no move to comfort her right away. He knows to wait until Courtney is ready to say something herself.

After a few minutes of no words, Courtney finally begins to speak in between her sniffling.

"We worked so hard."

DJ just nods slowly. "I know."

"We put our all into this game. We both grew so much this season. And now our alliance is about to be thrown away by _Sugar_." Courtney elaborates, her hands forming into fists at the mention of that name.

This time, DJ turns to face his ally. "I know... Courtney, you have nothing to be ashamed of. You've grown so much, and we played an amazing game together. No matter what happens, we're still the strongest alliance this season."

There's another long pause before Courtney speaks again. "...DJ?"

"Yeah?"

Without warning, Courtney pulls DJ into a tight hug. Her grip is intense, as if she's worried that if she lets go, she'll vanish into thin air.

She quietly says to him, "Thank you. Every season I've played, I've never had a best friend, a real best friend, that trusted me and accepted my flaws like you did. Thanks for being that person for me."

After hearing that, DJ tightens his grip even more. Eventually they break from the embrace, and Courtney talks again.

"You know... Chris usually has the campers use a helper in the finale." She whispers.

"Yeah, and?"

"Well, you better pick me to be your helper then."

DJ chuckles. "Of course. Who else would I pick?"

 ***Confessional- Courtney***  
"Well, it's been fun playing." Her lip quivers after saying this, and she bursts into tears.  
 ***Confessional Ends***

 ***Confessional- DJ***  
"This season has been absolutely insane. And possibly the craziest thing to happen all season was gaining Courtney as a best friend. No matter what happens tonight, I know I couldn't have asked for a better partner in the game."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Meanwhile, Sugar and Dawn are laying down in their respective bunk beds and discussing the plan for tonight.

"Sugar, you know Jasmine's a bigger threat than Courtney. You just want to send Courtney home because you hate her." Dawn bluntly tells her.

"Yeah, and? Me hatin' her is as good a reason as any!" Sugar retorts.

Dawn looks appalled at Sugar's logic. "No it isn't! Courtney may have changed somewhat, but her emotions are still all over the place. The only person she's been consistently nice to is DJ. Why take her out, when you can take out someone that's made no enemies, and is a physical threat?"

Sugar's eyes go wide, as if a lightbulb just went off in her head. When she doesn't say anything else, Dawn decides to elaborate.

"You have to pick the person whose elimination will leave the largest impact. If you vote for Jasmine, we automatically take a step up in the game. Courtney's emotional breaks, Lightning's attitude- they're all weaknesses that Jasmine doesn't have!" Dawn explains.

 ***Confessional- Dawn***  
"If Sugar has any brains at all, she'll use her power to take Jasmine out. She's so heavily focused on getting revenge on Courtney that I'm worried she'll make the wrong choice for both of us."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

Sugar pushes herself out of her bunk and begins to strap on her shoes to head outside. While she is getting ready, she explains herself once more to Dawn.

"Listen Dawn, I know that you're trying to be all strategic and stuff, but I got a plan for tonight. Ya see, I don't wanna just make one person upset, I wanna see everyone _devastated_. Jasmine's friends with everyone, but the person she was closest with left in the fourth challenge! Now, Courtney, Lightning, and DJ... they're a trio I'm just itching to break up! They got this weird emotional bond now, and I just can't wait to be the one responsible for tearing it apart!"

Dawn's eyes widen in disbelief. "Sugar... that's terrible."

Sugar shrugs and gives Dawn a pat on the back as she heads towards the door. "Yeah, you're right, that is harsh. Who knows, maybe I will vote for Jasmine. Guess y'all will find out soon!"

The door to their room opens to find Jasmine standing before them. Her indifferent expression indicates that she hasn't heard any their conversation. Sugar skips happily past her to head to the bathroom.

The Australian only becomes concerned when she sees the shocked expression on the petite blonde's face.

"...Uh, Dawn? You okay?" Jasmine asks cautiously.

With that, Dawn snaps out of her surprise and manages to form a coherent sentence.

"Sugar's a monster."

 ***Confessional- Sugar***  
"Ha! I get the sole power to eliminate someone. And guess what? I decided who I'm gonna pick- the biggest threat in the game."  
 ***Confessional Ends***

* * *

 _*Campfire Ceremony*_  
The Campfire Ceremony setup is slightly off this time. Sugar is standing up at the podium next to Chris and Chef. The five campers at her mercy are facing her, sitting on their usual stumps. The lineup, from left to right, is Dawn, DJ, Courtney, Lightning, and Jasmine. All five of them are holding hands, partially in solidarity, and partially as a silent 'fuck you' to Sugar.

Chris begins his spiel for the night. "Welcome campers, to the latest Campfire Ceremony! As we all know, this one will be a little different. Since Sugar is the only one with a say, she will merely state her vote here, in front of all of you. The camper she names will immediately say their goodbyes and head straight to the Slingshot of Defeat. And now, albeit begrudgingly, I will give Sugar the floor."

As Chris moves aside, Sugar side steps to the podium and begins to give the speech that absolutely no one wants to hear.

"I know exactly who I'm going to eliminate. This person has been playing e'rybody, and it's about damn time someone took a stand and-"

"Just get on with it Sugar, you're not getting paid by the hour." Chris interrupts.

Sugar waves him off and continues. "Alright, alright fine. Anyway, the person I'm sending home is..."

As the dramatic music begins to play, Courtney grips DJ and Lightning's hands tighter. She knows what's coming and is shaking from the inevitable. She's determined not to cry in front of Sugar of all people. Lightning looks to Jasmine to silently offer the only comfort he can provide. Finally, after what seems like hours, the pageant queen speaks again.

"DJ."

"WHAT?!" Courtney, DJ, and Lightning collectively scream together. Jasmine's jaw drops in pure shock. Even Dawn looks surprised.

DJ stands up angrily. "Why me? I haven't done anything to you!"

Sugar smirks. "That's just it. You haven't done nothing to nobody. Everybody likes you! You're the biggest threat here. Well, you _were_ the biggest threat. Not anymore."

This time, it's Courtney that stands up. Her hands are shaking, but they look like they're aiming for Sugar's neck.

"You, you... you _bitch_! What kind of game are you playing here? I swear to God, I'll..."

But before she can resort to anything drastic, DJ places a hand on her shoulder and turns her around to face him.

"Courtney, _stop_."

"But-"

This time, Chris interjects to give instructions. "DJ, I'm sorry dude, but you've been eliminated from the game. Now's the time to say your goodbyes before we send you out."

DJ shakes his head in acceptance at this cruel twist of fate. He gives Dawn a firm hug and genuine well wishes of good luck. He doesn't even bother to talk to Sugar.

A crying Jasmine practically crushes him with her goodbye hug.

"You were the best part of the Brawny Beavers. We always had so much fun." Jasmine tells him through her tears.

"No other person I want to play matchmaker with. Ship captains for life." DJ happily replies.

Lightning's goodbye is no less difficult. He's trying to hide his tears, but the stains on his cheeks tell the real story.

"Bros for life?" DJ offers with a fist bump.

Lightning refuses the hand and pulls him into a hug with as much force as Jasmine's.

"Bros for _sha-life_. Thank you for everything." Lightning tells him.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, DJ turns to face Courtney, who's given up on hiding her tears. DJ offers her a smile to lighten her spirits.

"Hey, hey... it's okay. Not what we expected, but that's Total Drama, right?" He tells her calmly.

"You don't deserve this!" Courtney yells.

"And Sugar didn't deserve that power, but it happens. Courtney, don't worry, I'm okay."

"She's not winning that million dollars."

"... I know. Now don't forget, you better pick me to be your helper in the finale." DJ reminds her.

Courtney gives him a sniffle and a laugh. "Of course, who else would I pick?"

DJ smiles again. "I expect nothing else from my best friend."

Afterwards, DJ goes to Chris and Chef to get ready for his departure. The scene turns to DJ being placed in the Slingshot of Defeat. By the time he's sent off, everyone has broken down in tears. Everyone, that is, except for Sugar. She's all smiles now, because this is exactly what she wanted.

Her smile turns into full-on laughter as she boasts about her success to the others. "Ha ha ha ha, y'all should've seen your faces! You thought for sure that Courtney was going home, and then- BAM! Ole' Sugar flips the script again! Tell me Courtney, how does it feel, throwing away Invincibility and losin' your best friend in the same day?"

"Sugar, knock it off-" Dawn tries to say, but Sugar keeps egging Courtney on.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I woulda' definitely sent home Lightning if you didn't give him Invincibility."

At this, Courtney walks over to Sugar and pulls her by her shirt to look her dead in the eye. No one makes any move to stop her as Courtney speaks to her in a deadly even tone.

"I. Will. _Destroy_ you."

And with that, she releases Sugar's shirt from her grasp and walks away with all the strength and confidence she can muster after such a devastating blow to her game. Lightning follows behind her, but not without shooting Sugar a death glare as he passes by her. Sugar merely dusts herself off and begins to strut back to the cabins as if she doesn't have a care in the world. Jasmine and Dawn look at each other wearily before they too begin to head back, albeit cautiously.

Once they're all out of sight, the camera turns to Chris to hear his sendoff for the night.

"And the drama keeps on coming! Will Sugar stay on Cloud 9? Will Courtney get her revenge? Find out next time, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"

 **•End of Episode Sixteen•**

* * *

 **To those that are as emotionally affected by this Campfire Ceremony as I was, I do apologize. But seriously, DJ is a precious bean and deserves all the money in the world. Unfortunately, he just wasn't meant to win this season, though I truly enjoyed writing him and the friendship dynamics he had over this story. There's no need to have a voting lineup this chapter, so I'll just get right to my analysis.**

 **To be honest, I wanted to have at least one elimination in the series that was pure shock. While eliminations like Scarlett's and Lindsay's were surprising, there was a lot of buildup that hinted at their sendoffs. Here, everything here was pointing to Courtney or Jasmine going home. Sugar essentially pulled a Harold, where she took out her rival's closest companion rather than the rival herself. While she is right in saying that DJ was a threat, her motivation was more spiteful than strategic.**

 **The only hint I really gave about DJ going home was the tie breaker question, since he really is the only camper that hasn't won, played multiple times, and has never been eliminated by a regular vote. I know that he was technically voted out in World Tour, but then Harold quit in his place, so it doesn't count. Either way, I think his record really speaks to the potential he had as a social player, which I hope I have shown you guys over the 16 chapters he competed in. Part of me felt a weird obligation to DJ to send him home in manner other than a regular vote. DJ is my favorite male of the 1st generation cast, so I truly hope you feel that I did his character justice.**

 **This will probably be one of the more controversial decisions, since DJ didn't really do anything to warrant his elimination, and especially not the way it happened. But I needed this chapter to end on a note where everyone is incredibly emotional. With something shocking like this happening, I believe I've achieved that. Now Sugar is feeling high and mighty, Courtney and Lightning are ready to kill, and Jasmine and Dawn are feeling remorseful and scared for what's next.**

 **There are two other specific plot points I want to address about this chapter, if only to justify the decisions I made. These points are: 1) Why Courtney would give up Invincibility to Lightning, and 2) Why Jasmine would have considered voting for Lightning after he just saved her. As for the former, Courtney was in a tough spot during the challenge. She had no idea what Sugar's special power was, and she has a pretty unique bond with Lightning. Though they're closest with DJ and Sky, I would argue that these two understand each other's faults better than any other pair in this story. Since the only other option to go home at that point was Sugar, Courtney figured that best thing to do was keep Lightning safe, unaware of the repercussions it would have. As for Jasmine considering voting off Lightning... honestly, just think about if you were in her position. She's in the Final Six in a game for a million dollars. She'd be stupid to not consider the pros and cons of** _ **every**_ **contestant, including Lightning. The problem is that this isn't just a strategic game, it's been a very emotional one as well. Everyone's trying to find a balance between the two, which is why this chapter ended on the note that it did.**

 **Please don't interpret these choices as "Courtney's getting dumber" or "Jasmine's becoming a villain", because that's not what I'm trying to say about these characters. Both women put a lot of thought into the choices they made (or were considering making). Courtney and Jasmine are both imperfect people, and sometimes they're going to make questionable decisions. In my opinion, it just makes them better characters.**

 **Also, shoutout to Dawn for telling Sugar what she needed to hear. She's probably right in saying that Sugar should have gotten rid of Jasmine, but there truly is no reasoning with someone as vindictive as Sugar. She's going to do what makes her happy, and what made her happy was seeing a devastated Lightning and Courtney, the two people left that she's butted heads with the most. Still, it's nice to see that Dawn is finding her voice.**

 **The next chapter ties a lot of loose ends together. It's titled "Escape and Ditch Mountain", and it's the challenge I completely redid a few weeks ago. I'm very excited for it, and for you all to see what becomes of the Final Five. Let me tell you, it's a very bittersweet chapter; emphasis on** _ **bitter**_ **and even more emphasis on** ** _sweet_** **.**

 **Until next time- stay beautiful, everyone!**

 **~VintageMadame**

* * *

 **Eliminated: Harold, Topher, Anne Maria, Justin, Shawn, Brick, Jo, Cameron, Leonard, Eva, Lindsay, B (RETURNED), Dawn (RETURNED), Scarlett, Leshawna, Sky, B, DJ**


	18. Escape and Ditch Mountain

****At long last, I FINALLY have this chapter out! I'm so sorry for the wait, but this chapter went through the ringer with edits. It's also about as long as 'EX-treme Paintball Deer Hunter', the only other chapter in the story with a 12k word count! I wanted to give you guys the best chapter I possibly could, so I truly hope I've achieved that!****

 ** **Just a fair warning- this chapter jumps around between characters a LOT,**** ** _ **especially**_** ** **during the challenge. Time skips are also a thing, because this chapter is long enough without me mentioning every little detail. Hopefully you'll find that it was worth the wait... so please, enjoy! And don't hesitate to tell me your thoughts afterwards!****

* * *

 ** **Brainy Beetles: Courtney****

 ** **Brawny Beavers: Jasmine, Lightning****

 ** **Beautiful Butterflies: Dawn, Sugar****

* * *

 ** ***Last Episode Recap*****  
"Last time, on Total Drama... tears, screaming, and scheming- we had it all! Sugar started working to get Lightning out, but was met with heavy resistance from Courtney. When Courtney couldn't get a straight answer regarding Jasmine's strategy, she vowed to do whatever she could to keep Lightning safe. The challenge ended up being a quiz on episodes' past, but Sugar opted to sit out in favor of a secret power. By the challenge's end, Courtney put her money where her mouth is and threw Invincibility to Lightning. However, the plan came crashing down on her when it was revealed that Sugar's special power was to have the only vote at the Campfire Ceremony. While Sugar seemed hellbent on sending Courtney packing, Dawn tried to convince her to take out Jasmine instead. DJ and Courtney accepted their fate and DJ promised to make his best friend his helper at the Finale. Turns out it's Courtney that needs to keep that promise, because Sugar ended up shocking everyone by eliminating DJ. The episode ended in the best of ways, with everyone in tears and Courtney making terrifying threats to Sugar. Will Courtney make her words a reality? How will everyone move on without our friendliest camper around? Guess we'll find out... now, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"  
 ** ***End Recap*****

* * *

The camera zooms in on the cabin, and we're led into the girl's bedroom. Sugar is sitting on her bunk, blissfully brushing out her hair and remaining unaffected by all the trouble she's caused. She's currently alone, but that all changes when Dawn and Jasmine come bursting through the door.

"Sugar... what was that?" Dawn asks angrily. Or rather, as angry as anyone's seen Dawn so far.

Sugar ceases brushing her hair and looks up at the two women. She gives them a big smile and tells them, "It's great, ain't it? I just got out a big threat and made Courtney and Lightning cry! Honestly, I don't think this could've gone any better!"

"So... that's it? You took out the nicest person in the game just so you could see everyone be upset?" Jasmine asks cautiously.

"Well yeah, mostly. Not to mention that Courtney and Lightning are gonna be so off their game without their third amigo around. So really, this helps all of us." Sugar explains to the two other women.

Dawn looks like she's about to retort Sugar's logic, but Jasmine puts a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"I mean, I guess that makes sense mate, but be careful. You made some gruesome enemies tonight." Jasmine warns her.

Sugar gives off a shrug of indifference. "I ain't scared of those two. They're all bark and no bite."

Jasmine's grip on Dawn's shoulder gets a little tighter at that. "I see. Anyway, I think I'm gonna hit the showers before bed. This day has been exhausting."

Dawn nods in agreement. "I agree. I think I'll take one as well."

As the two begin to collect their toiletries to head to the bathrooms, Jasmine gives Sugar a final piece of advice.

"Keep your comments to yourself if Courtney comes back. I'd like to see this cabin in one piece when I'm done."

Sugar scoffs. "Like I said, I ain't worried."

Dawn begins to look outside at the mention of the brunette. "Where even is Courtney?"

Sugar is quick to respond with, "Upstairs, probably pouting with Lightning."

Sure enough, Courtney and Lightning are hiding under the big mattress fort that still stands in the guys' room. The camera zooms in to find them both sulking. They've ceased crying long ago, but their eyes are still red and puffy from the Campfire Ceremony.

"Lightning still sha-can't believe that just happened." Lightning states plainly.

Courtney says, "I can. Leave it to Sugar to make choices based on how many people she can piss off."

"I mean, at least she didn't send you home. Lightning would've felt worse if you got eliminated after giving me Invincibility"

"I... guess that's true. Though I would've rather her not have that power at all. Stupid Chris."

Lightning doesn't know what to say to that, so he chooses not to say anything at all. There's about five minutes of total silence between the two before Lightning decides to speak up.

"Courtney... sha-how are you feeling? Like, _really_ feeling about this? Ya know, with DJ being gone and everything."

Courtney's face scrunches up in a mixture of anger and frustration, especially when Lightning says 'DJ being gone'. It's a statement she doesn't want to acknowledge, but knows that holding it in won't do her any good. And out of everyone she could vent to right now, she knows Lightning is her best bet. So she takes a deep breath and lets the words flow out.

"It sucks, okay? It just sucks. I don't know how to feel. I should be thrilled that I didn't go home, but DJ should still be here. We had a Final Two pact since the beginning, and of course, everything got screwed up. Honestly, part of me thinks it should've been DJ that stayed. He's the nice one- the one everyone loves. Why should he have gotten screwed over, out of all people?"

Lightning nods in understanding, his eyes glossed over as he remembers when he had similar feelings. "Yeah, Lightning felt the same way about Sky. She's just so perfect, you know? Half the time I didn't understand why she wanted to be around me."

Courtney smiles at that, if only just a little. "Who would've guessed we would've gotten so attached to competitors?"

Lightning thinks about this for a moment before he offers her a relaxed shrug in reply. "A lot of stuff about this season surprised me. You know, Lightning never would've guessed he'd be chilling with you, of all people, in a mattress fort in the Final Five."

Courtney laughs. "Same here. I also never thought I'd be upset about someone that's not me going home, but here we are. Two former Villains pouting about our closest allies being sent home."

"... Perfect Final Two, huh?" Lightning shyly suggests.

Courtney raises an eyebrow in interest. "You think so?"

"Why not? Lightning bet Jasmine would side with us over Dawn and Sugar. And if I won the Final Three challenge I'd take you with me."

Courtney nods slowly before answering, "I would too. I trust you more than anyone else that's left."

Lightning nods in agreement. "Same here."

 ** ***Confessional- Lightning*****  
"Courtney and the Lightning have had each other's backs for weeks. And we both lost the people we were closest to in the game. After everything that's happened, that's gotta mean something, right?"  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Courtney*****  
"I'm absolutely devastated about losing DJ. But Lightning and I have both been through the ringer. We even threw Invincibilities to one another. We're not who we initially wanted to take to the Final Two, but we both have definitely earned it."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Meanwhile, across the campsite, Dawn is just emerging from her much needed shower. As she wraps up her hair, she turns to find Jasmine dabbing her eyes with cold water from the sink. From the looks of it, Dawn would guess that Jasmine finished her shower a few minutes ago.

"Jasmine... you okay?" Dawn asks cautiously.

Jasmine responds with a giggle, followed closely behind by a couple sniffles. "You can read auras, I'm sure you already know."

"Well, yes... but sometimes it helps if people say it out loud themselves, rather than have me say it for them." Dawn acknowledges.

Jasmine raises her head up to face the mirror, the dazed look in her eyes indicating that she's deep in thought. Dawn patiently waits for her to speak her mind.

"I think... constantly having to vote out and say goodbye to friends can take a toll on people, you know? Especially when you didn't see their elimination coming." Jasmine finally admits.

 ** ***Confessional- Jasmine*****  
"I don't think I've been this upset about an elimination since Shawn left, but I can't afford to be emotional about it like Courtney and Lightning are. While I can admit he was a threat, DJ did not deserve to go home like that. I intend to repay the favor to Sugar."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

"Yes, I think pretty much everyone can agree with you on that, especially when we're so close to the end." Dawn replies.

Jasmine turns to face the petite blonde. "What do you think about tonight?"

"I... I don't know. I was just as surprised as everyone else about it. I guess, in hindsight, DJ was a threat. But Sugar only cared about how devastated Courtney and Lightning looked. She made her choice just to hurt them. That's not the kind of game I wanted to play." Dawn finally admits to her competitor.

"You know, there are other options for you besides going along with Sugar." Jasmine slyly offers her.

Dawn doesn't seem to pick up on the hint, because she shakes her head in dismissal and replies, "I don't see how. I'm sure Courtney and Lightning are plotting Sugar and my's demise as we speak."

"Those two? They're really not as dangerous as they seem. But I was actually talking about aligning with me." Jasmine clarifies.

"Oh. I didn't realize that was an option."

"It is, especially now. I think everyone's in agreement about getting Sugar out soon. If we team up with Courtney and Lightning, we can make it happen and then duke it out against them in the Final Four."

"You don't seem like someone who would leave the Final Four up to chance." Dawn points out.

Jasmine gives her a shrug. "I'm not. And I don't want too. But Sugar's gameplay leaves a really bad taste in my mouth."

"Mine too."

 ** ***Confessional- Dawn*****  
"It's not Sugar sending DJ home that makes me upset, it's the _way_ she sent him home. I'm still torn up about voting for Lindsay, while Sugar seems committed to pissing everyone off. Keeping her around for this long was a huge mistake. It's about time that we right our wrongs."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Jasmine*****  
"One way or another, Sugar's gonna get it for what she did to DJ. But I also need to make sure that I'm covering all my bases as we head into the Final Five. Courtney and Lightning have a really tight bond now, and I'm sure they plan on taking each other to the Finale. Dawn's my best bet as an ally, and I believe we can both hold our own over them."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

The two women slowly begin to pack up their toiletries and head back to their cabin. They fall asleep shortly after they arrive to their room. Courtney is the last to head down, once she's sure that everyone else is asleep. That night, everyone sleeps soundly to dreams of a million dollar prize.

Despite this, the next morning is anything but peaceful for the over-exhausted campers. The challenge alarm quickly pulls them out of their slumber. Once everyone is good and startled, Chris begins to speak over the intercom.

"Good morning to our Final Five! Congratulations on making it this far; which is ironic because I bet in my fantasy draft that all of you would be out before the merge. Anyway... we have a big day today! I'd run to the Mess Hall now to grab some breakfast, because I expect to see you all at the base of the mountain in twenty minutes! Chris out!"

Everyone looks incredibly puzzled by Chris' announcement, though Lightning wastes no time in overthinking it as he rushes out of the cabin to grab some last-minute breakfast.

Down in the girls' cabin, Jasmine asks aloud what everyone's internally questioning.

"Mountain, what mountain? This island doesn't have a mountain!"

Courtney's eyes go wide in bewilderment and confusion as she looks out the cabin window.

"You all might wanna take a look outside..." she tells them.

Sure enough, the four women walk outside the door to find a tall mountain peak at the edge of the island, placed almost as if it's an extension of what's been there all season.

"What the hell..." Dawn mumbles to herself, much to the surprise of the other three.

"Well... guess all we can do is go check it out!" Sugar exclaims as she runs towards their assigned destination.

When they reached their end point, the four are faced with Chris, Chef, and a large television that's been placed to the left of them.

Chris looks at the group with a puzzled expression. "Funny, there were definitely five of you the last time I checked. Please tell me we didn't lose one."

"Sha-damn, when did this get here?!"

Chris lets out a sigh of relief. "Oh thank god he's here. We may just get through this season without any lawsuits after all!"

The four other contestants turn to find Lightning approaching them, eating off a plate that he brought with him from breakfast.

"Lightning, what the hell is that?" Courtney asks.

"Well, Chris said we had to hurry to the mountain, so Lightning brought his breakfast with him. _Duh_." The jock explains confidently.

Jasmine still seems baffled by the male's logic. "I don't think- you know what, never mind. Chris, care to explain why there's suddenly a giant mountain on the island?"

Chris and Chef both chuckle at their confusion.

"For your information, we worked really hard to set up this mountain- and it just so happens to be the location of the next challenge!" Chris says defensively.

"But how did the mountain get here?" An impatient Courtney asks.

"We built it and placed it here, obviously. What, did you forget that this island was artificial?"

"Kind of." Dawn says bluntly.

"Yeah, you sha-haven't really mentioned it since the first day." Lightning reminds them.

"So how does this fit into our challenge?" Dawn asks the two men.

Chris smiles at her, a look that throws all of them off. Nonetheless, he does respond to Dawn's request.

"Why, I thought you'd never ask! But before I get to that, let's start with some good news! As of now, sixteen campers have taken a ride on the Slingshot of Defeat. Well, seventeen if you count Dawn. Anyway, it's been a wild ride to get to this point, and some heartbreaking sendoffs came with it. In fact, I can confidently say that there's at least one elimination that brought each of you to tears. So, for this challenge I'm excited to inform you all that there are some special visitors today... in the form of whichever camper you were closest with this season!"

The announcement causes Lightning to drop his plate and cutlery. He looks awestruck at the implications of Chris' words.

"Sky's here?! Where is she? Is she still rooting for me? Lightning's got so much to tell her!"

The jock begins to ramble off, only to be interrupted by Jasmine, who has her own belligerent questions for Chris.

"Please tell me it's Shawn! Please, I haven't seen him in so long!"

Courtney adds in, "So that means DJ's here, right!? Is he okay?"

Chris rolls his eyes as the overly excited trio. He then turns to Dawn and Sugar and asks, "Well, seeing as those three already announced their guests, any guesses from you two?"

"Mine has to be B." Dawn replies.

"And mine's just gotta be the wizard!" Sugar chimes in.

Chris nods. "Right and right. Today, Shawn, Leonard, Sky, B, and our most recently departed camper DJ are all returning for the challenge. FYI, this is not a chance for them to return. They're only making a guest appearance."

Everyone immediately brightens up at the news, but particularly Lightning and Jasmine. The latter seems ready to break down in tears of happiness.

 ** ***Confessional- Jasmine*****  
"It's been _so long_ since I last saw Shawn. I didn't even get to say goodbye to him when he was eliminated. After being in strategist mode for so long... I just really need to see him."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Lightning*****  
"Sha-bam, Lightning can't wait to see Sky again! With her as my partner, I'll definitely win Invincibility for a third time! Man... do you think it'd be romantic to ask her out if I win the challenge? Uh, just wondering..."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Courtney*****  
"No pair got as far into the game as DJ and I did. If that doesn't speak to our success, then I don't know what will."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Dawn*****  
"B and I are the perfect ying-yang combination. We may be the underdogs in this challenge, but who doesn't love a good underdog?"  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Sugar*****  
"Ha! Everyone else might as well give up now! I'm about to have magic on my side. This week just keeps gettin' better and better!"  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Jasmine begins to jump up and down in place as she excitedly asks, "Well, where are they? Can we see them yet? Please?"

Chris finally sports the wicked smirk that they've all grown accustomed to over the course of the game. However, given that the question was in reference to their loved ones, this them even more unsettled than usual.

Chris responds with, "Unfortunately, they can't physically be here right now, but you can definitely _see_ them. Chef, care to show the campers their visitors?"

Chef smirks with a twisted delight as he holds up a remote, presumably for the television that has not been used up to this point. The co-host says "With pleasure," in a sinister manner as he turns the television on.

Once the static settles down, the screen shows off a scenery that isn't familiar to the campers. There's a collective gasp amongst them once they fully process the setting. The TV pictures five large totem poles standing tall on a rocky terrain. They're in a circle formation, unbothered by the slight wind that's passing by them. However, it's not the totem poles themselves that bothers them. As the camera zooms in, they see Shawn, Sky, B, Leonard, and DJ each tied to an individual pole. Leonard looks confused, DJ looks frightened, and Shawn, Sky, and B all look annoyed at their current predicament.

"Oh my god, what did you do?!" A shocked Courtney asks the hosts.

"Where the hell are they? What is all this?!" Jasmine throws in, although she sounds more frightened than angry.

Lightning, Dawn, and even Sugar all appear to be equally concerned at their loved ones' wellbeing. Chris waves them off before they can ask anything else. "Calm down all of you, they're _fine_. They're all safely secured at the top of the mountain. Trust me, they're not going _anywhere_."

"And, what, exactly, is the point of all this?!" Dawn manages to choke out. Even she is about to break from her usually composed self.

An irritated Chris, clearly done with the emotional young adults, finally begins to explain. "I was getting to that! God, let me do my job! Look, it's pretty simple; The goal of today's challenge is to rescue your loved one from the top of the mountain. On my 'go', you will take one of the five unique trails that we set up that leads to the mountain's apex. Once you've reached your loved one, you will untie them and travel down the same trail to our finish line. Easy enough, right?"

"And what are the five trails?" Sugar asks.

Chris smacks his hand against his forehead in aggravation. "Enough with the questions! Look, each trail has a different 'theme', if you will. Seeing as the island is artificial, we got a chance to play around with weather and nature, basically defying the laws of physics in anyway we saw fit. So, the five trails you get to choose from are..."

At this, Chef flips a switch on the remote, changing the TV's view from the ousted campers to, presumably, one of the five trails. The first one that appears is pretty much all sand, and infinitely windier than the top of the mountain was.

"Our Desert Trail, where you will have to battle extremely hot temperatures and sandstorms to make it to the top." Chris describes to them.

Chef presses a button to show the next trail, which is pretty much the exact opposite of the desert one. This one is almost completely covered in snow, although the wind looks significantly less troubling here.

"By contrast, we also have the Winter Trail, with enough snow and freezing winds to make all of Canada jealous!"

When the screen changes, it takes a moment for campers to realize that this is the next trail. It's so dark, it takes a minute for their eyes to adjust. The light from a lantern shows that everything is surrounded in rock.

"If daylight isn't your thing, you can travel by our Underground Mine, flashlight and elevator shafts provided to ensure we don't get sued."

The next scene is back outside, and very bright. Most of the screen is taken up by a river. It's fairly wide, and but the water is still.

"You can travel by river in our fancy-ish canoe, but that means you'll have to travel upstream before you get an easy ride back down."

When the screen changes for the final time, the campers see a mess of treetops and vines. It confuses them all at first, until Chris explains.

"Finally, you swing around Tarzan-style in our trail made entirely of overgrown trees. Completely aerial, completely safe... possibly."

The TV finally shuts off, and the camera focuses back on Chris, who is finally wrapping up his narration.

"These are the five trails that you will choose from in today's challenge. Each of you has to pick a different one, and you have to use this trail for both climbing up and back down. Keep in mind that your assigned loved one will be joining you on the way down."

"Ooo, I wanna take the river!" Sugar exclaims, just barely not shattering Dawn's eardrum.

Courtney interjects with, "As if! _I'm_ taking the river!"

"Please don't put me in the mine! There's no way I can put up with that!" Jasmine tells him.

Chris gives them an indifferent shrug as he tells them, "Yeah, about that... since Lightning won last challenge, he gets to assign the trails to each of you. _Surprise!_ "

"Really?" An excited Lightning asks.

Sugar stomps her foot into the ground yells, "Hey, that ain't fair!"

"You want to talk about fair? You literally had the sole vote last night. And you didn't even do anything to earn it!" Courtney reminds her.

Chris adds in, "Yeah, sorry not sorry. Chef and I forgot to assign you each a trail, and we figured Lightning was sure to piss _someone_ off with his choices. So we're doing this."

"Fine by me." Lightning says.

"Glad to hear it Lightning, because there is another catch... you see, you're not so much competing for first place as you are competing to not be last. And that's because... the last person to cross the finish line with their rescued partner will be eliminated _immediately_."

"What?!" The campers yell in unison. Despite everything they know about the game, how they should never be surprised by what's to come, they still find themselves shocked by the news.

Chris merely shakes his head in confirmation. "Yup, you heard me. Loser of the challenge immediately goes home."

 ** ***Confessional- Jasmine*****  
"Okay, things just got way more intense. Hopefully Lightning will be focused on taking Sugar out, and he'll give the rest of us trails that suit our strengths."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Lightning*****  
"Sugar's gotta go, so I'm obviously gonna give her a tough trail. But do I listen to what everyone else wants, or do I make it as easy as possible for the Lightning? Man, making decisions is sha-hard!"  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

"So Lightning, care to tell the campers what trails they'll be taking?" Chris asks gleefully.

The camera switches to show a nervous Lightning, who is clearly overthinking all of his possibilities. He looks towards Courtney, who mimes a rowing motion. He then glances over to Jasmine, who pretends to scratch her head as she's pointing up. Lightning nods to both of them in understanding.

"Uh, Courtney is taking the river, and Jasmine gets the trees." He carefully announces. Courtney and Jasmine both give him thankful smiles now that their fate for the task is sealed.

Chris and Chef both nod at his decision. "Alright, and what about the last three?" Chris asks.

The jock appears to be deep in thought as he attempts to analyze the remaining trails. He looks over to where Dawn and Sugar are standing. Dawn silently pretends to shiver, a hint of her own to showcase her preference.

 ** ***Confessional- Dawn*****  
"The Desert Trail seems to have more extreme weather conditions, meaning I'll probably do better in the winter one. I'm also getting a bad energy from the mine. Unfortunately, I don't know if Lightning will abide by my wishes. We're friendly with each other, but certainly not like he is with Courtney or Jasmine."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Finally, Lightning speaks up again. "Lightning will take the mine, Dawn the Winter Trail, and Sugar the desert one."

Chris smiles as the final decision. "Excellent! Campers, head to the starting positions of your trails. Courtney, you'll need to grab a canoe and two paddles. And Lightning, here is a flashlight and map for the mine." Chris hands over the aforementioned supplies to Lightning.

The jock looks over the map as Courtney approaches him, paddles in hand.

"Lightning, are you sure about this? I think the mine will be one of the tougher ones." She nervously asks him.

Lightning gives her an assuring nod. "Sha-yeah, I am. I gotta be, it's too late to change my mind now."

Courtney puts her free hand on his shoulder as a comforting gesture. "We'll be okay. Let's go save DJ and Sky."

Lightning immediately brightens up at the mention of Sky. "Hell yeah! Sha-bam! Lightning finally gets to see Sky again!"

Chef shouts out of nowhere, "We get it! Now head to your starting positions like we told you!"

 ** ***Confessional- Sugar*****  
"Of course Lightning had to give me the worst trail! The sand and humidity will be _awful_ against my hair! Oh but don't worry, he'll pay, that's for damn sure."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Lightning*****  
"Lightning knows what I was doing with my choices. I did a challenge in a mine during my first season, and Sugar's more likely to go home if I help everyone else. This may not be a team challenge, but us four are acting like it."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

When the static fades, we see Chef and Chris sitting in lounge chairs by the large television. The black and white checkered flags dangling over them suggests that the pair is hanging out by the finish line. The screen has been divided up into five slots, each one showing a different camper at their starting position.

Chris begins to give his instructions over a walkie-talkie, which transfers to the intercoms all over camp.

"Alright campers, on my go you can begin the challenge. Remember, last one to reach the finish line with their loved one is automatically eliminated from the game. All trails lead back to the finish line. Chef and I will be watching you through the monitor, so no funny business! Or do- it'll add to the drama. Anyway... on your mark... get set... GO!"

And with that, all five campers set off on their respective trails. The first one that receives focus is Jasmine, who is high up in the trees. It took a moment for her to find a rhythm, but now she is breezing through her trail as if she was born to.

 ** ***Confessional- Jasmine*****  
"Shawn and I are both pretty strong and agile, so we'll probably be able to keep a steady pace throughout the course. While I definitely don't want to be last, it would nice to finally come out first in a challenge."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Meanwhile, Courtney is having a more difficult time with the river. The current is almost nonexistent, but the upward slope is certainly not helping her much. Nonetheless, she is putting her all into getting her canoe closer to the mountain's apex.

 ** ***Confessional- Courtney*****  
"So, uphill is definitely going to be a challenge. But downhill is going to be a breeze, while everyone else's trail will be the same level of difficultly. As long as I get to the top before _somebody_ , I should be fine."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

The camera now pans to Lightning, who is lightly jogging through the tunnel, flashlight and map in hand. However, the athlete still seems confused as ever. He keeps glancing down at the map, hoping for some clarity, only to be disappointed every time.

 ** ***Confessional- Lightning*****  
"Maybe Lightning should have thought about this choice more. I mean, my team did _lose_ that mine challenge."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

An agitated Sugar isn't fairing much better. The heavy winds and hot air would make anyone's journey more difficult, but the pageant queen seems more concerned about her hair than moving forward.

"Stupid Lightning." She murmurs to herself before she kicks a nearby plant out of frustration. Unfortunately for her, the plant happens to be a cactus, and she feels the pain of her mistake immediately after. She starts hopping around, wincing and whining in pain.

 ** ***Confessional- Sugar*****  
"I thought I hated Courtney more than any of them, but Lightning just moved to the top of the list!"  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

The cold air and snowy terrain of the Winter Trail make for a difficult journey, but Dawn is taking it all in stride. Her steps are small, and probably at a slower pace than everyone else's, but she refuses to stop for any type of break.

 ** ***Confessional- Dawn*****  
"I've been through so much during my time here. I've made friends, I lost friends, I was called a villain; I was even eliminated, and won my right to return. I've done everything I possibly could to survive my second chance here- a little bit of snow is one of the _better_ things I've been through here."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

About two hours has passed by now, with nothing too exciting happening from anyone. Courtney is a little more than halfway done with her trail by now, obviously agitated with the slow pace that she continues to go.

"Come on! Can't this stupid canoe go any faster?!" She shouts to no one in particular.

In a moment of blind rage, she smacks the front of the canoe with her paddle. The sudden shift causes the whole thing to tip over, taking Courtney down with it. The brunette resurfaces quickly, struggling to find her footing, when she realizes a horrible truth. When she finally stands up, the water is just above her knees.

"Are you... _fucking kidding me_?!" She screams, loud enough for the whole mountain to hear her.

Back at the finish line, Chris and Chef are in hysterics over Courtney's misfortune.

"Looks like Courtney finally realized she could've walked through the water this whole time!" Chris narrates to the camera.

The camera switches its scenery, this time to the mountain's apex, where the five eliminated campers are still tied up. Everyone's conversing to pass the time. The circle formation makes it a little awkward, since no one can look at each other while they're talking.

"I'm telling you all, someone's going to be approaching soon! I can feel it!" Leonard announces to them all.

DJ throws in, "Man, I hope so. We've been tied up like this for way too long."

"And you'll be tied up a little longer, cause it'll definitely be Jasmine who gets here first!" Shawn tells them happily.

DJ chuckles at this. "Sorry dude, but Courtney will definitely give her a run for her money."

"You're both wrong, for it is the fair maiden Sugar who will be victorious when the day is done!" Leonard retorts.

DJ shakes his head in dismissal, even though he knows Leonard can't see him. "It better not be. Sugar needs to go."

"I second that." Shawn adds in.

After a brief period of silence, DJ speaks up once more. "Sky, you've been really quiet so far. You okay?"

Sky, who was stuck in her own thoughts beforehand, snaps out of it when she hears her name being called. She takes another moment before finally replying.

"Oh uh, yeah, I'm fine, I just... I'm overthinking everything I guess?"

"Nervous to see Lightning?" DJ guesses.

Sky response is rather quiet. "Yeah, it's been a few weeks since I last saw him, so I guess I'm anxious and excited. Really excited."

Shawn attempts to comfort her when he says, "That's pretty normal. I mean, I can't wait to finally see Jasmine again. And you were in an awkward spot with him before you left, just like Jasmine and I were last season."

"Yeah, that's true. But, it's not just that. I... I just have a weird feeling about today's challenge. Like... something bad is going to happen. And I can't shake the feeling away." Sky finally confesses.

There's a silence amongst everyone now, since no one wants to jinx their loved one's well being.

Finally DJ says, "I wouldn't worry about it. Everything will work itself out. Just focus on finally getting to see Lightning again. He really missed you when you were voted off. Seeing you again is gonna make him even more motivated than usual. B thinks so too!"

B nods in agreement at this, even though Sky can't see the gesture.

Sky brightens up, just slightly, when she listens to DJ and Shawn's words of comfort. She shows her gratitude with a quick but meaningful, "Thanks guys."

Before anyone and reply, Chris' voice comes on over the intercom.

"It looks like we have our first camper to reach the loved ones! And it's none other than... Jasmine!"

As he says her name, the Australian jumps down from the overgrown trees she's been swinging through. She wastes no time in running over to Shawn. With tears streaming down her face, she greets her boyfriend with a hard kiss as she attempts to untie him.

"I love you, I've missed you so much..." Jasmine repeats to him over and over. Finally she undoes the last of the knots, freeing Shawn from his post. The rope isn't even fully off before he leaps onto his girlfriend to pull her into a tight embrace.

"I love you too. I've watched everything since I was eliminated and... damn Jasmine, you've been doing _amazing_." Shawn tells her, the twinkle in his eyes showcasing the extent of his admiration.

Jasmine finally breaks from her trance and tells Shawn quickly, "We've got to go before everyone catches up. Get to the tree, I just want to say hi to everyone first."

Shawn doesn't question it as he heads over to where Jasmine just came from. Jasmine runs to DJ's post and gives him a huge hug, telling him that he hopes Courtney rescues him soon. She gives B a smile and a fist bump, which is rather awkward, considering how he can't raise his arm through the ropes.

Finally she makes her way over to Sky, who she tells, "Lightning's taking the mine route, hopefully he'll be up soon. He misses you... we've all missed you."

Sky gives Jasmine a genuine smile before saying, "Thank you, I've missed you all too. Now go with Shawn before Lightning and I catch up to you."

Jasmine wastes no more time after that, running off to join Shawn as they begin to make their way back down.

Fifteen minutes later, Chris announces the arrival of the second camper to the mountaintop.

"And now we have camper number two approaching... it's... Courtney! And might I say, she does _not_ look good."

The former C.I.T. comes storming through her exit, dragging her canoe and paddles behind her. She looks exhausted and irritated, no doubt from walking through the river for the last half of her trip. She does brighten up, just a little, at the sight of DJ.

She runs over to her best friend and pulls him into a hug; as if he's been gone for a year, instead of just barely a day.

"I've missed you!" Courtney exclaims as she begins to untie DJ.

DJ chuckles lightheartedly at her remark. "It hasn't even been 12 hours."

"So you haven't missed me?"

"No, of course I have."

"Good, cause we've all missed you. Now let's get going, we still have time to beat Jasmine."

As the two run off to their canoe, Courtney quickly turns around to the remaining three campers. She says to them, "Good luck you guys. Except for you Leonard, I hope Sugar loses."

"Ya know, I've been hearing that a lot today." Leonard points out to no one in particular.

Sky interjects with, "Courtney... do you know anything about how Lightning's doing?"

Courtney shakes her head sadly. "No, I'm sorry... but Lightning chose the mine himself. I'm sure he'll be up soon. He couldn't wait to finally see you again."

"...Thank you." Sky says softly.

"No problem. But um... I gotta go." Courtney replies quickly before she places herself into the canoe with DJ. They set off for the finish line as soon as she's in position.

Speaking of Lightning, that's where the camera flashes to next. He's currently pulling himself up an elevator shaft, flashlight in his mouth, and map tucked away at his side.

 ** ***Confessional- Lightning*****  
"So if I read this map right, Lightning's got like- er, another mile, and then one more of those self-service elevator things... and then he's at the top! Sha-bam!"  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Dawn is struggling through the snow, but the mountain's peak is finally in sight. She internally guesses that she'll reach the top within the next 15 minutes.

Her concentration is momentarily broken when she hears Chris' voice over what she assumes are intercoms placed around the mountain.

"Attention campers, here's a quick update; Jasmine and Shawn have reached the finish line, meaning Jasmine is safe from automatic elimination! Hurry up everyone, your chances of safety are dwindling. Chris out!"

"Shit." Dawn mumbles aloud. She quickens her pace slightly, silently praying for a miracle.

Much to everyone's dismay, Sugar is the next person to reach the top of the mountain. B and Sky both roll their eyes at the sight of her.

Sugar's hair is disheveled and she looks exhausted when she finally takes a moment to rest. She instantly brightens up when she looks around and sees the remaining loved ones.

"Ha! I see Lightning's choice wasn't so great after all, huh?" She asks Sky tauntingly.

Sky gives Sugar a wicked glare in return, before confidently stating, "Whatever Sugar, the challenge still isn't over. Once Lightning makes it up here, you're done for. He'll easily outrun you on the way back down."

Before Sugar can make an argument back, Chris' voice chimes in through the speakers.

"And with that, Courtney and DJ have earned second place! Three campers left, don't be last!"

"Crap." Sugar yells as she hurries over to Leonard. She makes quick work of the knots before he's finally free from the rope's grip.

"Hey Mr. Wizard! I'm gonna need some of your magic to help us get down faster!" Sugar tells Leonard.

Leonard nods enthusiastically at her request. "Certainly! A speed spell will be perfect for this occasion! Let us make haste!"

Sugar and Leonard are about to take their leave, until Sugar halts to a stop right before the mine's exit. She inspects the layout quickly before looking back to Sky. The pageant queen's malicious grin terrifies the gymnast.

"Sugar... what are you doing?" Sky asks, her voice shaking with every word.

"Well, you see Sky, it appears that Lightning will need to take this here elevator in order to reach you. But like ya said, he'll easily outrun me on the way back down. So why not make the odds a little more in my favor?" Sugar explains to her.

"What do you- SUGAR STOP! What are you doing?!" Sky yells at the top of her lungs.

A devastated Sky watches as Sugar attempts to dismantle Lightning's only means of exiting the mine. She reaches in her back pocket to pull out a nail file. Using it, she cuts one of the ropes that Lightning would've used as a pulley. She then proceeds to through some nearby rocks down the shaft, if only to make things that much more difficult for him. Finally she blocks the entrance with some fallen branches- nothing too heavy, but enough to slow him down.

Sky has tears running down her face, terrified at the sight before her. She struggles to free herself, but is making no progress with the ropes. B, who can only see the scene out of the corner of his eye, is utterly appalled at Sugar's actions. Even Leonard looks unsettled at the scene before him. Finally, Sugar grabs Leonard and begins to head down the trail she came from.

Not even five minutes later, Dawn emerges from the Winter Trail. Without even thinking, she runs over to B and easily unties him. Once he's freed, she finally has a moment to take in the scene before her. Her eyes go wide when she sees a Sky in tears.

"Sky, what happened?!" The blonde asks.

Sky frantically explains, "Sugar closed off the mine's exit. She cut one of the pulleys and blocked the entrance. She's trying to make sure Lightning will be last!"

Dawn looks over to the mess of tree branches and rocks, the makeshift blockade Sugar set up in her haste. She looks to Sky, then to B, then to the mess, and back at Sky again.

Finally she lets out a defeated sigh as she approaches the gymnast. She starts fiddling with the ropes that bind her as she asks, "B, can you move the branches for Sky?"

B immediately nods in agreement and begins his task. Due to his size, what took Sugar a few minutes to set up gets torn apart within ten seconds.

"What are you doing?" Sky asks cautiously.

Dawn replies, "Helping. Do you think you can get through the mess and go find Lightning?"

Sky runs over and looks down the ruined exit. The drop isn't too far, and it doesn't appear that it'll take too long for her to clear the rest of the wreckage out of the way.

Sky confidently answers back, "Yes, I got this. You and B should go and see if you can hold off Sugar getting to the finish line. And thank you."

Dawn smiles at this and says "No problem," in return. Then she instantly runs over to B so they can begin to make their way back.

 ** ***Confessional- Dawn*****  
"Of course I helped Sky out! Anyone would have- well, except for Sugar. But Lightning also gave me the trail I wanted, something he definitely didn't have to do. Hopefully I can help him in return."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

"We have to make it down before Sugar! How are we gonna catch up to them?" Dawn asks her companion.

Much to her delight, B holds up a large piece of tree bark, presumably a part of the disaster that he just cleaned up. He lays it down onto the snow, sits on it, and pats the spot in front of him.

"B, you're a genius!" Dawn exclaims joyfully as she sits upon the makeshift sled. With that, the two begin their ride down their section of the mountain.

By now, Lightning has made it to what would've been his ride to outside the mine. Instead, what he's met with is total wreckage, leading the jock to complete confusion.

"Sha-what?! Wait a minute, this ain't right!" He shouts before glaring back at his map for the millionth time.

Suddenly, he hears a voice shouting to him.

"Lightning! Lightning, is that you?! Oh thank god, please tell me you're okay!"

He immediately lights up after realizing who the voice belongs to. He's been missing the sound of it for far too long.

"Sky!? Sky, where are you? What happened? Ain't the Lightning supposed to rescue you?"

"Sugar destroyed the exit! Dawn helped me get out, but we have to clear the mess so that we can make it back before Sugar does! They're gonna try and hold her off for as long as they can!"

Lightning tries to peak around to the mess to see if he can get a glimpse of Sky, but she's still too high up for him to see. So instead he replies, "Um, sha-okay! Can you make it down?"

"Yes, I'm almost there now! Just clear out some of the rocks down there, and I'll finish up here!" Sky instructs him.

"You got it! Lightning can't wait to see you!" He tells her.

Sky laughs, slightly embarrassed at the jock's affectionate behavior. She quietly says "... me either", and the two set off to work.

Down at the finish line, Chris and Chef find themselves dealing with two very agitated finalists, plus their loved ones for good measure.

"Are you fucking serious, Chris?! You're not going to help them? Sugar literally blocked Lightning's only way of getting to Sky!" Courtney screams at the man.

Chris dismisses her worries, not even bothering to leave his lounge chair as they watched all the drama unfold before him.

"Relax, you guys. Dawn freed Sky, didn't she? She'll get to Lightning soon enough or whatever. Either way, no one's dead or dying, so it's not our problem." He attempts to assure them.

"So, what, we just get to stand here and do nothing; hope that Sugar is slower than even we thought?!" Jasmine shouts back.

"I never said that." Chris bluntly replies.

"Huh?" Shawn asks.

"I just said I'm not going to do anything about it. You two," he points to Jasmine and Courtney, "have finished the challenge. You're in the Final Four. You can do whatever you want now."

Jasmine and Courtney look at each other with the same devious smile plastered on their faces. The dual expressions let them know that the pair is currently on the same wave length.

"Chris, will you stop us from sabotaging Sugar?" Courtney asks for clarification.

"Will you use violence?" Chris asks back.

"Probably." Jasmine responds honestly.

Chris' grin is all they needed to know that they answered correctly.

"Then by all means, be my guest. And hey, would you look at that! It seems like we've finally have our third-placer!"

Courtney, Jasmine, DJ, and Shawn all simultaneously turn to look at the television. To their relief, they see that Chris was referring to Dawn, who is sliding down the hill with B at an alarming rate. Before they know it, their makeshift sled flies straight through the finish line, some bushes being the only thing to soften their landing.

Chris grabs his walkie talkie and makes his latest announcement. "And it looks like Dawn and B take home the bronze today! Will it be Lightning or Sugar that avoids instant elimination? I guess we'll find out soon enough!"

Jasmine and Courtney rush over to help Dawn and B out of the bushes that cushioned their crash. Once Dawn finally composes herself, she begins to speak in a rapid fire to the others.

"Sugar sabotaged Lightning! Sky's going to rescue him, but we have to help!"

Jasmine points to the television screen and replies calmly, "We know, we saw the whole thing. Chris gave us the okay to stop her by any means necessary."

A determined Courtney places her hands on her hips and says to them confidently, "Mark our words, Sugar isn't going to come out on top today."

 ** ***Confessional- Jasmine & Courtney*****  
"For awhile, it seemed like Sugar wasn't more than an extra vote; an annoyance that could be dealt with later. I blame myself for not taking her seriously, especially considering last season. Now we finally get a chance to take action." Jasmine tells the camera.

Courtney adds in, "We've dealt with Sugar's bullshit for weeks. It's time we finally get a chance to repay her."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Back at inside the mine, Lightning and Sky have made significant progress with the damage Sugar caused.

"How you doing up there?" Lightning asks as he moves one of the heavier rocks out of his path.

Sky shouts back, "Fine! Actually, if I just move this out of the way, I think I'm- woah!"

With that, Sky comes crashing down through what was the roof of the elevator shaft. She's hanging by the rope that Sugar kept intact. Lightning wastes no time in running over to catch her. Once she's in his arms, he quickly moves out of the way of the wreckage and places Sky back on the ground.

"Are. you. alright?" Lightning pants out, temporarily out of breath.

The shock of seeing Lightning again, combined with everything they left unsaid at Sky's elimination, takes Sky aback for a moment.

They're both covered in dirt and sweat from their latest task. Out of breath, and possibly out of their minds from the toll that today has taken on them, they both know one thing for certain- seeing each other again made it all worth it.

"Oh my god... Lightning, I..." But Sky can't find the words, so she tackles him to the ground in a tight embrace. Lightning returns the hug with just as much intensity. They stay that way for longer than they should, as if they're worried that the other will disappear if they let go.

"Look, Sky... there's some stuff I've been meaning to tell you-" Lightning starts to mutter out.

Sky interrupts him with a hard kiss on the lips, their first kiss of what they hope to be many, many more in the future. It ends too soon, with Sky pulling away to before Lightning forgets their more immediate goal.

"After the challenge, okay? We still have to save you from last place." She says as she finally leaves the comfort of Lightning's arms.

The shock of the kiss leaves Lightning speechless for a moment, but Sky mentioning the challenge puts him right back into game mode. He instantly grabs her by the hand and begins to lead her down the path he came from.

"You're sha-right! Come on, Sky! Let's do this... together!"

 ** ***Confessional- Lightning*****  
"Lightning had this whole big speech planned to confess to Sky, and she just went right up and kissed me out of no where! Lightning was going to sweep her off her feet and be all romantic and stuff. Honestly, I think I liked her way better. It's more us."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Down at the base of the mountain, everyone's dealing with the aftermath of the kiss that they just witnessed. And by aftermath, they mean DJ and Jasmine squealing in delight.

"Oh my god, they finally kissed!" DJ says in a high-pitched, excitable tone.

Jasmine grabs DJ by the hand as they continue their dramatics in front of the others. "I know! We waited so long for this to happen! I can't believe we watched it!"

As the two continue to celebrate, Shawn whispers over to Courtney, "They were literally planning Sugar's demise a minute go."

"I know." Courtney whispers back.

"It's scary how quickly they can go back and forth like that."

"I know. I dealt with it all season."

"I wouldn't change it for the world." Shawn adds in, still as infatuated with his girlfriend as ever.

Courtney adds in with a slight grin. "Me neither."

The tender moment is cut off when they hear Dawn shout "Sugar! I see her!"

The platinum blonde is pointing to the television, where Sugar is trekking through the sand that's up to her calves. The camera angle shows that she's nearing the finish line.

"Come on, we gotta hold her off!" Jasmine yells to the others. Courtney and Dawn don't hesitate to join her, and the three start to make their way towards their rival. Chris and Chef both look excited at the anticipating brawl.

It's only when Shawn, DJ, and B begin to go with them that Chris intervenes.

"Oh no, you three stay here! Guest campers are living props in today's challenge only! No intervening!"

"You sure picked a funny time to start inciting rules." An aggravated DJ points out.

Chris merely shrugs and replies, "What can I say? It adds to the drama. Now sit back and watch, their about to confront Sugar now."

The three young men begrudgingly agree and turn to watch everything unfold through the giant screen.

Sugar and Leonard are nearing the very end of the Desert Trail, they can see the finish line in the distance.

"Sugar, I sense a darkness coming upon us. Maybe you shouldn't have sabotaged Lightning like that?" Leonard suggests.

Sugar scoffs at the remark. "Don't be so silly, wizard, you're talking crazy! We're almost-"

"SUGAR!" A loud screech stops Sugar and Leonard dead in their tracks. Standing in front of them stands Dawn, Jasmine, and Courtney. While Dawn and Jasmine are attempting to maintain some semblance of composure, Courtney's clearly past her limit.

"Geez Courtney, no need to yell. Whatcha all doin'? Here to congratulate me on fourth place?" Sugar says smugly.

At that, Courtney finally snaps, pouncing on her rival, with her nails digging into Sugar's hair. Dawn and Jasmine go in to assist the brunette, with Dawn grabbing Sugar by the legs and Jasmine holding her down by the waist.

"What the hell?! Get off me! Leonard, help!" Sugar shouts over to the LARPer.

Leonard starts fidgeting in place, unsure of how to proceed. "Um, yeah... I think I'm gonna sit this one out. I'll meet you at the finish line though!"

As he makes his way over to Chris and the others, a shocked Sugar shouts to him, "What the hell?! Leonard, get back here! Y'all better get off me or else!"

Jasmine grunts out, "You threw all the rules out the window the minute you sabotaged Lightning!"

Courtney's grip on Sugar tightens as she says, "Think of it as payback for this _entire season_."

Suddenly, the speakers lift up with Chris' voice as he says, "And it looks like Lightning and Sky are making their way towards the finish line! It's going to be a close call!"

Sugar looks up to see the pair sprinting towards the end, hand in hand. In a moment of panic, she kicks Dawn, who's still grasping at her legs, away from her. She accidentally nicks her in the cheek as a result. Jasmine and Courtney's grips loosen once they hear Dawn wince in pain. Sugar uses the moment of weakness to her advantage, and breaks free from the trio.

The pageant queen begins running full speed ahead to the finish line. Lightning and Sky are right behind her, and she's fully aware of the likelihood that the athletes will outrun her. Knowing her strength is her last weapon, she redirects her course to the couple. With all the force she can muster, Sugar gives Sky a hard shove backwards, taking Lightning with her.

The distance in which they are pushed back isn't too great, but it's enough to give Sugar the time she needs to cross the finish line.

"And finally, we have Sugar and Leonard in fourth place, which means... Lightning, you are officially out of the competition!" Chris decrees into his walkie talkie. Everyone is silent, obviously shocked by the turn of events.

Lightning and Sky finally recover from the push and walk dejectedly across the finish line. It's clear how devastating the results are to the competitive duo. They have yet to let go of each other's hands, and it's the only sign of comfort for either of them right now.

"But that's not fair!" Courtney shouts from afar. She's currently running back to the finish line with Jasmine and Dawn in tow. All three women are covered in sand, a sign of their struggle just a few moments prior. Dawn still has a hand over the side of her head, right where Sugar kicked her.

"Sugar cheated, multiple times! She sabotaged Lightning, pushed Sky, and kicked Dawn! No way she should still be allowed to compete!" Jasmine adds in.

At that, everyone begins to talk at once, each stating their own reasons for why Sugar should go. The only ones that stay quiet are Sugar (who is annoyed), Leonard (who is uncomfortable), B (for obvious reasons) and Lightning himself, who looks beyond devastated.

Despite the badgering, Chris doesn't budge from the final call. Instead he explains, "Yeah, sorry, but there's nothing we can do. Technically, we never stated that Sugar _couldn't_ do any of those things. We even gave the other three a chance to stop it, but they couldn't deliver. So, sorry Lightning, but you've been eliminated from the game."

"But..." Lightning is about to retort, only to be interrupted by Chris once more.

"I'd start saying your goodbyes now. You'll be making your exit soon."

Lightning nods his head at this, though it's clear to everyone how upset he is at the loss. Sky only lets go of his hand when Jasmine, Courtney, and Dawn ask for a group hug for their goodbye. The trio of ladies repeatedly apologize to the pair, upset that they couldn't hold onto Sugar for just a little while longer. Sky, Lightning, and their respective loved ones are all trying to comfort each other about the loss.

Chris looks on at the somber scene with glee, at least until he catches a glance of a disappointed Chef staring at him.

"What? You know we couldn't change the rules to let him stay." Chris states matter-of-factly.

"You could make it a little easier for the guy." Chef slyly suggests.

"And how would I do that?"

"You know how."

" _No_." Chris tells him.

But Chef continues to look at him with that unamused stare until Chris finally gives in.

" _Fine._ Hey Lightning!" Chris calls out to the newly eliminated camper. When the jock turns around to look at host, Chris begins to speak again.

"Ya know Lightning... of all the contestants we had this season, we were sure you'd be the most annoying one. And we were even more sure that you'd be voted out as soon as the Brawny Beavers lost. But you surprised all of us with your change in attitude, and you made a surprising number of friends along the way. So for that... we will allow you to do the sappy love confession that you wanted before we send you off."

Lightning instantly brightens up at that. "Really?! You mean it?"

Chris replies in an annoyed tone, "Yeah, yeah, just do it before I change my mind."

Lightning wastes no time, stepping out of the small cluster and pulling Sky with him. Once they have some space, he takes hold of her hands, looks deep into her eyes, and says what's been on his mind for weeks.

"Sky... before Lightning met you, I was only worried about being the best and didn't think of others. But... now I know I can be competitive and care about people too. And you're one of the people in this game that helped me learn that. And uh, I really like you, Sky. I have since the first day we got on this island, and learning more about you only made me like you more. Lightning don't think there's anyone out there that's more perfect for me. Will you... will you please be my girlfriend?"

Sky had tears streaming down her face, but there was a big smile beneath those tears. "Oh Lightning... I like you too. So much. I'd love to be your girlfriend."

At a loss for words, Lightning decides to showcase his happiness through a kiss with his new girlfriend. The chorus of "aww's" and squealing courtesy of DJ and Jasmine shows just how excited everyone is for the pair.

Lightning eventually breaks from the kiss, still in complete bliss about his new relationship. He tucks a piece of Sky's hair behind her ear and whispers to her, "Sky, you're amazing."

A teary-eyed Sky holds her boyfriend tighter as she replies, "Lightning, you created a bet just to win me candy. You comforted me when I got food poisoning, and stood by me when you learned about Dave. You never wavered from our alliance, and respected my choice to focus on the competition. _You're_ amazing. So, so amazing."

They kiss once more, only for it to be quickly broken up by Chris, whose more than ready to send everyone back.

"Alright, alright, save the love for when you're back at the Playa. Lightning... Sorry dude, your time ends here. Now we normally send you off on the Slingshot of Defeat, but... I think we can just send you back on the boat with the eliminated contestants."

"For real!?" An excited Lightning asks, just to make sure.

Chris rolls his eyes and sighs out, "Yes, but just this once! No more of this sappy crap, it's getting to be a bit much for one episode! Ugh, campers, say goodbye to your loved ones and Lightning before I get sick!"

The goodbyes are surprisingly quick, and the Final Four all feel refreshed after getting to spend the day with the camper that means the most to them. However, there's an empty feeling in the pit of Courtney, Jasmine, and Dawn's stomachs when they see Lightning board the boat to leave with everyone else.

Chef is manning the boat back to the Playa, but Chris is standing next to the remaining campers at the docks. The host shouts upwards, "Well Lightning, any final thoughts?"

Lightning takes a deep breath and says back, "Courtney, Jasmine, Dawn... if Lightning had to lose, I'm glad it was to you three. Thanks for trying to help Lightning out today. Sugar... you're never going to win the game. You might have placed higher than Lightning in this season, but what I won was _way_ better."

A satisfied Chris yells out, "Nice, a verbal takedown is always a good way to end an elimination! Alright Chef, take them away!"

The Final Four and Chris don't move from their spot as they see the boat sail further and further into the distance. For once, Sugar is grateful for the silence. No one even acknowledges her until the boat is completely out of their sight.

"He's right you know. What you did was way out of line." Jasmine bitterly tells her.

Sugar shrugs in response, still unbothered by her actions. "Hey, it's all part of the game."

Courtney seethes out, "That wasn't 'game', that was straight cheating! Not to mention he could've been seriously hurt!"

Sugar scoffs, amazed that the other three can maintain such a high and mighty attitude for so long. "Aw, come on now, you should all be thanking me! I just single-handedly got rid of the biggest physical threat! Come on Dawn, back me up here!"

If Sugar was hoping to get some sympathy from the petite blonde, she surely was disappointed at what she found.

Dawn gives her an sharp glare before speaking in a harsh, even tone. "Sugar... fuck you."

Although Dawn's anger throws her for a loop, Sugar still waves her off. "Hey, I've gotten this far. Y'all better watch yourselves next challenge. I ain't going down without a fight."

Not for the first time, Courtney grips her by the front of her shirt, fist raised in the air. "Why wait for a challenge to start a fight?"

Chris breaks the tension with his easy going tone as he steps in between the two. "So... hate to interrupt, but we are on a limited schedule. And we still have to get to the final part of the day."

"Huh? What final part?" Courtney asks as she releases Sugar from her grasp.

"Uh, the Campfire Ceremony? You know, the thing we do after every challenge?" Chris replies, as if the answer was obvious.

The implications of a Campfire Ceremony throw Sugar into a frenzy. "Hold up, you didn't say nothing about no Campfire Ceremony! Besides, there's no need, Lightning's gone!"

Chris laughs off Sugar's worry and says, "Yeah, but we're gonna have one anyway. It's kind of tradition, you know? Anyways, since Jasmine finished first, she's won Invincibility, so you can't vote for her. Everyone else is fair game, though I'm pretty sure you all have your minds made up."

"Oh believe me, we do." Jasmine replies. She, Dawn, and Courtney are all glaring right at Sugar, silently challenging her to try and weasel her way out of this one. For the first time during the course of the game, Sugar is left speechless.

The panic in Sugar's eyes is perhaps the greatest reward any of them have received all season.

* * *

 _*Campfire Ceremony*_  
Chris and Chef (who returned from the Playa) are standing by their handy dandy television, ready to bring the day to a close.

Jasmine, Dawn, and Courtney are all sitting together in a huddle. Sugar is on the complete opposite side of them, all alone.

Finally, Chris begins to talk. "Welcome, campers, to the last part of the day- The Campfire Ceremony!"

"That we should _not_ be having!" Sugar throws in.

Chris throws back, "Quiet you, you've done enough today! Now, we all know Jasmine has Invincibility, so you can't vote for her. However, since I'm pretty sure we all know who's going home, let's just watch the voting confessionals and laugh at how karma has finally paid Sugar a visit. Chef, hit it!"

With a press of a button, the screen lights up to show the montage of confessionals.

 ** ***Voting Confessional- Courtney*****  
"Sugar, this vote's for DJ, Leshawna, Lindsay, Lightning, Sky, and even Topher, who I don't like but I'll throw him in there anyway."  
 ** ***Voting Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Voting Confessional- Jasmine*****  
"Sorry Sugar, I... actually you know what? I'm not sorry, not at all. Enjoy the slingshot."  
 ** ***Voting Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Voting Confessional- Dawn*****  
"My vote is for Sugar. You played a ruthless game and got very far. The only problem with doing so is that now no one cares when you go."  
 ** ***Voting Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Voting Confessional- Sugar*****  
"Uhhh... Courtney?"  
 ** ***Voting Confessional Ends*****

The screen goes black, and an elated Chris begins to taunt, "Well, well, Sugar, it seems it's finally time to send you off. You have no idea how long I've wanted to eliminate you for."

"Yeah, whatever." An annoyed Sugar responds.

"No seriously, if I could send you on the Slingshot twice, I totally would." Chris continues.

"I get it!" Sugar shouts.

"But I guess once will have to suffice. Come on, everyone, let's send Sugar off!"

Chris, Chef, and the Final Three begin to cheer at the excitement. Sugar is annoyed with the celebration, but it's a small price for her to pay, considering all that she's put them through.

The smiles never leave any of the finalists' faces as they watch Sugar finally be sent off in the Slingshot of Defeat. And if they happen to flip her off as she goes flying over the lake- well, that's their business.

Once Sugar is no longer in sight, Jasmine takes a look at the two women beside her. "So this is the Final Three, huh?"

Courtney looks back at the others, her smile only growing at the mention of "Final Three".

"Sure is... I like it." She states simply.

"I like it too." A content Dawn adds in.

With that, the trio take their leave to their cabin. The camera then turns to Chris so that he may end the episode.

"We started the day with five, and ended it with three! Who will be the next camper sent packing? And more importantly, who will be our Final Two? We find out next time, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"

 **•** ** **End of Episode Seventeen•****

* * *

 ** **Surprise double elimination! I did say it would be a bittersweet chapter, as we officially say goodbye to both our last villain and the character that has arguably gone through the most intense transformation in the series.****

 ** **As usual, here is the voting lineup. Though Lightning wasn't there for the vote, I still included him since he was a participant in the chapter:****  
 ** **Courtney- Sugar****  
 ** **Dawn- Sugar****  
 ** **Jasmine- Sugar****  
 ** **Lightning- Disqualified****  
 ** **Sugar- Courtney****

* * *

 ** **First and foremost; we have our Final Three! What do you guys think about them? Was it who you expected? While there are several contestants that would certainly be just as compelling finalists, I'm quite happy with these three. I'll delve more into each finalist in next chapter's analysis, because I really want to talk about the events of this one.****

 ** **We've finally reached the conclusion of my favorite arc in this story- Sky and Lightning are officially together! I'm pleasantly surprised by the amount of positive reception that this pairing has received, and I hope that you enjoyed their ending as much as you enjoyed watching them fall for each other. By the way, I'm calling their ship name SkyLight from now on, because it's beautiful just like these two characters.****

 ** **As incredibly tempting as it was to make Lightning a finalist, I still believe this was the best spot to end his time as a contender. He's grown a lot, found love, and has learned to find balance between the personal and the game. I feel that his fifth place spot both humbles him and legitimizes him as one of the best players this season. Plus, as unsatisfying as his canon finale was, he has still has a canon finale, and I wanted the Final Three to be characters that have never made it there before.****

 ** **I'm shocked by the amount of people that loved Lightning's character in general, as he tends to get a more negative reception. Since I now can be completely honest here, Lightning is my absolute favorite male character in the Total Drama universe. I find him hilarious, and believed that there was SO MUCH room for him to grow that we never got to see in canon. If you have enjoyed this story, you have Lightning to largely thank for it. A major reason for me writing this was because of how frustrated I was that we saw too much of certain characters, while never learning more about the characters that could actually use the development. I truly that hope you have enjoyed my interpretation of Lightning's character, and that I did my favorite boy some justice.****

 ** **Last, but certainly not least, we have the final elimination of the night- Sugar's! What did you think of her ending? I was so excited to finally give her some much-needed karma, it's been a long time coming! While I still needed her to be the one that orchestrates Lightning's elimination, I also wanted her to end the game powerless. Like Courtney predicted last chapter, Sugar fell victim to her own flaws. She's vicious and unsympathetic, which we saw at its maximum potential in the challenge. But, like Dawn points out in her confessional, that means no one's going to feel bad when they let her go.****

 ** **Both Sugar and Lightning's eliminations are symbolic of their time in this story. Lightning became nicer, and while he placed lower than Sugar, he's ten times happier than he was when he was a finalist. He got a girlfriend, a whole bunch of friends, and the respect of almost every camper. Sugar only got worse as time went on, had everyone against her, and still placed one spot lower than when she first played.****

 ** **Please continue to favorite, follow, and review this story, especially what you thought of this chapter! Your reviews mean the world to me!****

 ** **The next chapter is NOT the finale! There will be one more chapter (and therefore, one more elimination) before the winner is crowned. I'm so excited, we're almost at the end of this crazy story! Next chapter's title is simple: 'Three's Company'.****

* * *

 ** **Eliminated: Harold, Topher, Anne Maria, Justin, Shawn, Brick, Jo, Cameron, Leonard, Eva, Lindsay, B (RETURNED), Dawn (RETURNED), Scarlett, Leshawna, Sky, B, DJ, Lightning, Sugar****


	19. Three's Company

****Once again, I apologize for the long wait on this chapter. Getting everything in order was a struggle, and as always I've edited it multiple times to give you what is hopefully the best product possible.****

 ** **One of my guest reviews asked if it was intentional that I had one member of the Brains, Brawn, and Beauty teams in the Final Three. And to answer that; it was totally planned out that way. I also planned it so that there was one member from each generation in the Final Three. I liked the balance of representation, and luckily, these three women's stories all naturally progressed to this point.****

 ** **This chapter has a lot of familiar faces, so I hope you all appreciate their return! You'll what I mean soon. Either way, enjoy!****

* * *

 ** **Brainy Beetles: Courtney****

 ** **Brawny Beavers: Jasmine****

 ** **Beautiful Butterflies: Dawn****

* * *

 ** ***Last Episode Recap*****  
"Last time, on Total Drama... the fallout of DJ's elimination was intense, to say the least. Lightning and Courtney were understandably upset at the loss of their friend, but their shared experiences throughout the season led them to make a Final Two deal. Meanwhile, Jasmine and Dawn made a pact of their own, but not before berating Sugar for her choices. Emotions ran even higher at the challenge, where the campers were told that they'd be reunited with the eliminated contestants that they were closest with. However, they'd have to rescue them from the top of our newly constructed mountain, with the last person to do so facing automatic elimination. After Jasmine and Courtney scored first and second place, the race was tight between Dawn, Sugar, and Lightning. Knowing this, Sugar tried to tip the scales in her favor by sabotaging Lightning's means of getting to Sky. Despite Jasmine, Courtney, and Dawn's attempt to stop her, the pageant queen just barely... heh... _pushed_ her way into fourth place, eliminating Lightning in the process. Due to _the handsome host's generosity_ , Lightning may have lost the game, but he won the heart of Sky when he was finally able to give her his long awaited heartfelt confession. With Lightning gone, Sugar thought she was in the clear, despite the clear disdain she received from her competition. However, Sugar's luck finally ran out when it was revealed that a Campfire Ceremony would still take place. Sugar was unanimously sent home, leaving us with our Final Three: Jasmine, Courtney, and Dawn. Who will advance to the Finale? And what challenge will determine their fate? All will be revealed... now, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"  
 ** ***End Recap*****

* * *

As the static fades, we see our Final Three sitting in a circle on their cabin floor. They're all laughing as if they don't have a care in the world. In the center of their makeshift circle lays the remnants of snacks that they found around their temporary home.

"I can't believe Lightning still had granola bars leftover! How many did he bring?" Jasmine tells the other two as she finishes the one in her hand.

Courtney takes a big bite of hers and replies, "No clue, but I am so taking some for tomorrow. I never realized how good they were!"

Dawn unwraps yet another piece of candy from its wrapper as she says, "While I'm not surprised that Sugar had a secret stash of food under her bed, I am surprised that she forgot about it."

"Perks of a last minute elimination, huh?" Courtney suggests as she goes in for a piece of red licorice.

"I certainly won't complain, it's a nice little treat to celebrate us making it to the Final Three." Jasmine happily says.

Everyone almost tears up when they hear "Final Three". They've heard it multiple times already tonight, and they'll definitely hear more about it tomorrow. Still, the magic of the phrase fails to wear off these three particular ladies.

"What do you think the challenge will be?" Dawn suddenly asks.

Jasmine gives a shrug and replies, "No clue, but probably something physical. With the winner picking their Final Two partner."

Dawn nods and responds, "Sounds about right, so it should be a pretty interesting day."

While the news of the likely challenge puts two of the campers at ease, Courtney begins to process all the likely scenarios of tomorrow in her head. No matter how hard she tries to work it out, there's only one outcome that would result in her going to the Finale.

"I know you guys have a Final Two deal!" Courtney blurts out of no where. There's no malice in her words. If anything, she sounds like she's just stating the obvious.

Jasmine and Dawn freeze up momentarily, unsure with how to proceed with the conversation. They don't want to lie about the situation, nor do they want to baby their competitor to make her feel better. By the look on Courtney's face, it seems like she doesn't want that either.

"Look, Courtney..." Jasmine begins to say.

Courtney's quick to cut her off. "It's fine... really it's fine. I just wanted to get everything out in the open. It didn't feel right pretending like I didn't know."

"Courtney, I'm-" Dawn begins to say gently.

But Courtney holds her hand up to silence her as she calmly says, "Look there's really nothing to be sorry about, you would have been stupid not to. Lightning and I made a Final Two deal last challenge, and DJ and I had one since the beginning."

There's a brief pause before the brunette playfully adds in, "Just... don't think I'm giving up now, not even close. When I win Invincibility tomorrow, I'll get to pick which one of you I'm taking with me."

The teasing tone puts Jasmine and Dawn at ease, with both of them more than happy to know that tonight will be nothing more than a celebration of their success.

Once Jasmine's anxiety settles, she responds back, "I wouldn't dream of it. Tonight's about having fun. But tomorrow, it's game on."

Dawn holds up a lollipop and declares, "To the Final Three."

"To the Final Three!" Courtney and Jasmine join in, with Courtney holding up a licorice stick and Jasmine a granola bar.

 ** ***Confessional- Jasmine*****  
"I don't want to get cocky, but looking ahead... I'd say I'm in a pretty good spot. Best case scenario is that I win Invincibility. But if Dawn wins, she'll likely take me with her as well. The only way I _might_ be eliminated is if Courtney wins. This challenge couldn't come fast enough."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Dawn*****  
"I haven't been in immediate danger of being eliminated for awhile now... but then again, no one expected DJ or Lightning to go home when they did either. There's just too many uncertain variables."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Courtney*****  
"I know my odds aren't great right now, but when have they ever been? I made it through so much worse this season; a Jasmine/Dawn alliance is practically child's play. They better bring it tomorrow, because I'm going to give it everything I have.  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

After that, the conversation resumes to a lighthearted manner. The three ladies stay up rather late, and they all eventually fall asleep on the floor amongst the food wrappers, pillows, and blankets.

The next morning begins exactly how they all expected it to, with the usual alarm awakening them a few hours earlier than they would have liked. They don't receive any immediate instructions, so the trio takes their time in getting ready and heading to the Mess Hall.

Chef is there to greet them when they finally make it to breakfast.

"Well, how kind of you three to finally grace me with your presence." Chef says, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well... it's not like we had a time limit today, right?" Jasmine replies sheepishly.

Chef rolls his eyes and barks out, "Just come get your breakfast."

The three waste no time in doing as they're told. They quickly grab their trays, receive breakfast, and move over to the nearest table to eat.

When they're all settled in, Chef announces to them, "You have 30 minutes. After that I'm supposed to escort you to the location of the next challenge."

"And that would be?" Courtney asks.

Chef smirks at the Final Three before answering with, "The fire pit."

His response throws them all for a loop. It doesn't take any of them long to finish breakfast, so they use the rest of their allotted time to discuss the new information.

"The fire pit? What kind of challenge could be held there?" Dawn questions.

"Not a physical one, that's for sure. Maybe it's a quiz?" Jasmine suggests.

Courtney shakes her head in disagreement. "Probably not, we just had a quiz two challenges ago. But... I can't think of another challenge we could possibly have there."

"I think we're all in for quite a surprise." Dawn quietly tells them. No one says anything after that.

 ** ***Confessional- Jasmine*****  
"I had high hopes for a physical challenge today, so this news isn't great. I was the first one out when we had the quiz, so I'm _really_ hoping that there's something else going on."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

When the half hour is up, Chef leads the trio over to the aforementioned fire pit. Everyone nervously looks around, only to find that there is no one else present. Directly in front of where they're standing lays three tree stumps. Across from them, stands a column of bleachers, presumably taken from the gym.

"Where's Chris? And what is all this?" Courtney anxiously asks Chef.

But the man merely offers his response in the form of a shrug and a brief explanation. "Late. He has some extra things to bring this challenge."

"None of that answer was even slightly comforting." Dawn tells him.

"Yeah... what exactly are these 'extra things' that you're talking about?" Jasmine asks wearily.

Suddenly, Chris' voice comes out of no where, "Actually, I can answer _all_ of these questions for you!"

The three campers and Chef begin looking all around them, trying to find the source of the noise. Finally, their host comes bursting through the trees at the opposite end of the fire pit. He looks equal parts excited and anxious to get on with the day.

"Good morning to our Final Three!" Chris enthusiastically exclaims to the campers. "I trust that Chef explained nothing to you?"

"Pretty much." Jasmine answers bitterly.

Chris smiles menacingly at Jasmine's reply. "Good! That will make this explanation all the more fun. As you all know, this is the last challenge before our Finale, where two of you will battle it out for the million. And I'm sure you're all more than ready to prove yourselves today in the Invincibility challenge. And normally, that's totally what would happen. Except... well, we're not doing that today."

"What?!" The trio shouts, clearly on edge as it is without all the plot twists.

Chris holds up his hand to prevent them from pushing the matter. "Let me finish my explanation! Today's challenge will still have a winner, and someone will still be eliminated. The only difference is, you'll have absolutely no say in the final decision. And that's because... today, a jury of your peers will decide your fate!"

All three women's jaws drop at the announcement. Taking all the recent events into consideration, no one was expecting to see their former competitors again, at least not until the Finale.

When no one else talks, Chris begins to speak once more. "Surprised? Good, because there's more to explain anyways! Ladies, there's no doubt that this season has been one heck of a ride. You've all had highs, and you've all had excruciating lows. And who knows that better than the people you've been playing with for the past few months? That's why today, you will attempt to convince all 18 of your fallen competitors why you deserve to make it to the Final Two. Each jury member will vote for their choice to move on; the player with the most votes will receive an advantage in the Finale, and the player with the fewest will be eliminated. Sound fair?"

The trio collectively shake their heads 'yes'.

Chris grins as he gets his megaphone ready. "Great! You three, sit on those tree stumps in front of you- we're gonna be here for awhile. Now's the time to mentally prepare yourselves- I'm about to call in our jury members!"

Jasmine, Courtney, and Dawn all do as they're told and silently take their seats. Courtney's sitting on the left, Dawn on the right, and Jasmine in the middle. They are all clearly nervous, silently anticipating what today will bring.

 ** ***Confessional- Jasmine*****  
"It's impossible to tell where all our competitors' heads are at. I think I played the best strategic game, but Dawn and Courtney made better emotional connections. I almost wish this was a physical challenge instead."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Chris brings the megaphone to his lips as he begins his introduction. "Attention campers, former and current! It's time to bring in our jury, who will decide the fate of our Final Three! And since the theme of this season is 'Brains, Brawn, and Beauty', it makes sense to introduce them by teams. So ladies, I present to you- the Brainy Beetles! Harold, Shawn, Cameron, Leonard, Scarlett, and B!"

The six former Brain team members all walk out in a single file line, each of them taking their time to get a good look at the Final Three. Scarlett looks absolutely disgusted, and her wicked glare scares all three women to their core. B shyly waves to Dawn, and Shawn waves enthusiastically to Jasmine. Ironically, Courtney, the only Brainy Beetle left, is the one most unsure of this group.

 ** ***Confessional- Courtney*****  
"Likability has never been my strong suit, and I was largely responsible for sending most of the Brainy Beetles home. I wouldn't be surprised if I didn't receive a single vote from my old team. Shawn's definitely voting for Jasmine, B will vote for Dawn, and Harold, Leonard, and Scarlett all hate me. I may get Cameron's vote, but he was close with B, so he might vote with him. Hopefully my friends on the other teams will make up for it."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

As the Brainy Beetles take their places amongst the bleachers, Chris announces the next group. "Next up is... our Brawny Beavers! Brick, Jo, Eva, Sky, DJ, and Lightning- come on down!"

Eva leads the charge into the clearing, the six of them more in a clump than a line. DJ's right behind her, and he turns to give a thumbs up to the finalists. He smiles extra wide for Courtney, who he can see is incredibly stressed out right now. Jo and Brick enter next, holding hands and looking just as happy as they did at their appearance a few weeks prior. Time together has relaxed them both, and it was easy to tell how comfortable they both now are with their relationship.

Lightning and Sky come in last. Lightning's running in full speed as he gives Sky a piggy back ride. Sky is uncontrollably laughing at how ridiculous they're being, but considering how long they had to put their feelings aside, neither of them really care. When they reach the benches, Lightning stops to let her down and gives her a light kiss on the cheek. He then turns to the Final Three and offers an overjoyed wave to them, which puts all of them at ease. The couple tightly hold hands when they finally sit down.

Once they're settled in, Chris announces the final team. "And lastly we have the Beautiful Butterflies! Make way for Topher, Anne Maria, Justin, Lindsay, Leshawna, and Sugar!"

Of all three teams, the Beauty team is probably the least enthusiastic. Topher, Anne Maria, and Justin all look annoyed to be there, and Sugar's disgruntled manner makes it obvious that she'd rather jump off a cliff than give her vote to any of them. The only exceptions are Leshawna and Lindsay, who look incredibly excited to finally see their old friends again. While Courtney looks just as excited as they do, Jasmine and Dawn are less at ease.

 ** ***Confessional- Dawn*****  
"I don't know where I stand with everyone right now. I know I have B's vote, and I know I _don't_ have DJ or Shawn's vote. But everyone else is kind of a toss up."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Once the Beauty team sits down, Chris begins to speak to the whole group.

"So, here's how today is going to go. One-by-one, in the order you were eliminated, each jury member will get the opportunity to address the Final Three. You can ask them a question, you can compare game moves, or you can just air out your grievances. We will then go to a vote. The person with the most votes will receive an advantage in the Finale, and the person with the fewest votes will be sent packing. So let's get things started with... Harold!"

The first of the Slingshot of Defeat's victims stood up proudly upon hearing his name called. The look he's sporting suggests that he's been wanting to speak his mind all summer, and now he finally gets to.

"Thanks Chris." He says before he turns to the three women.

"Ladies... Congrats on making it to the Final Three. Except for you, Courtney; I haven't forgotten that you threw me off of a cliff."

A disgruntled Courtney fires back, "Just get on with the question, you sore loser."

"I will, god! Anyway, obviously I didn't get the chance to show off my mad skills this season. But you guys did, so my question to you is... what was your best skill in the game?"

The three women look at each other, unsure of how to proceed. Finally, Jasmine speaks up.

"Um, I guess I'll go first. I would say my best skill was my foresight. I knew who I needed to eliminate to get ahead, and who would align with me to make that happen. And if that didn't work out, I always had a backup plan."

Harold nods, satisfied with the answer. Dawn goes next.

"My best skill would probably be my perseverance. I never gave up, even when everything looked hopeless. I even beat out some of the fiercest competitors in order to return to the game. Without that perseverance, I never would've made it this far."

Finally, Harold turns to Courtney, even though he clearly doesn't want to.

She says in an annoyed tone, "Not that you care, but my adaptability was my best skill. There were several moments where I could've been an easy target. Watching all of your friends being eliminated can really wear you down. But I outlasted all of my allies and competitors because I was able to adapt to the new situation."

Harold shrugs off her answer, as to show its insignificance, but it's clear that her words resonated with a lot of the other jury members.

The ginger then says, "Thanks for your answers, I guess. I don't really have anything else to add."

As he goes to sit down, Topher jumps up in excitement, as he finally gets another moment on television. He dramatically struts until he's front and center, facing the Final Three.

"Hello, to our remarkable Final Three! Definitely not as good looking as it could've been, but I was foolishly eliminated too early to be given a chance! And now, my question to you is... if you had to switch places as a finalist with one of the jury members, who would you pick?"

Courtney doesn't hesitate with her answer. "DJ, easy. And it's not just because he's my best friend. DJ played a fantastic social game this season, and won an Invincibility too. Had he not been eliminated in such an awful manner, he would definitely be here, and he'd probably get most of the votes."

DJ tears up a little at Courtney's answer. Sky pats him on the back to comfort him, silently reminding him not to get too emotional this early into the questions.

Dawn goes next and says, "If we're going by personal choice, definitely B. But if we're talking game wise, I'd say Lightning. He grew more than anyone else here, and made a complete turn around from who he once was. He definitely deserved to be a finalist."

Jasmine ends the round with, "On a personal level, I would obviously pick Shawn, but on a game level.. probably Sky. She's a great competitor and held her own against all of us. Her only downfall last season was all the drama with Dave. Not only did they make peace this season, but she got the relationship with Lightning that she deserved. She was always one of the game's biggest threats."

Lightning and Sky both brighten up at this, neither expecting to hear such kind words about them from these particular campers.

Topher, on the other hand, seems annoyed that the Final Three isn't using their time to suck up to him. He bitterly ends with, "Well, I guess that's it for me... at least in _this season_!"

Chris interjects with, "Topher, we're not bringing you back for another season! Now go sit down and shut up! Anne Maria, you're up!"

The second evictee lets out a whiny huff before swapping places with the Jersey girl. She gives her hair one more coat of hairspray before she asks her question.

"Alright girls, here's the tea. Everybody here has been fightin' about which is more important: playing a good social game versus a strategic one. So my question to you is: when did you have to make a choice between the two, and which did you choose?"

Dawn decides to get her obvious answer out of the way first.

"Well, the most clear-cut example for me is when I voted for Lindsay. On a personal level, I wanted nothing more than to keep her around. But as a game player, I knew I couldn't allow a Final Four alliance make it to a merge of ten. So, I decided to do the strategic thing and vote her out, because I may have never gotten the chance after that."

Jasmine goes next. "Similar to Dawn's answer, I would say choosing to vote out Sky was my most obvious example of choosing the game over friendship. I care about Sky and Lightning- we all got so close during our time on the Brawny Beavers. But those two were an unbreakable duo even before they became a couple. As much as I would've loved to take out Sugar instead, I knew that the best thing for me then was to vote the way I did."

Courtney takes a deep breath before giving her own answer. "Voting for Scarlett was quite possibly the first time I _ever_ chose the personal choice over the strategic one. Scarlett laid out a very solid plan to me that would've likely led me to the Final Three. But this plan meant that I would have ended up betraying pretty much everyone that made it to the merge- friends that I never had before, that I worked _so hard_ to keep. So I made a personal choice and prayed that I would make it here without her. Which I did; and I feel much prouder of myself than I would have had a gone with her plan."

Once Courtney's done, Anne Maria smiles in approval. She says "Good luck- you'll need it," to the Final Three before making her way back to her spot.

Justin's up next, and he's taking his sweet time strutting over to the front to ask his question. It's obvious to everyone that he's trying to milk out as much camera time as possible.

When he finally takes his places, he says in his usual calm and collected voice, "Ladies, congratulations. I already know who I'm voting for, so my question to you is simple. What was your favorite challenge this season, and why?"

Dawn answers easily. "The Pairs Challenge where I won the right to return. It was the moment I showed everyone I still had fight left in me."

Jasmine goes next with, "Last challenge, the Mountain one. I finally got to see Shawn again, and I won Invincibility. The only downside was Sugar's cheating, but it all worked out in the end. Oh, and Sky and Lightning finally got together. We all waited too long for that to happen."

Pretty much all of the Brawny Beavers are cackling at that last remark, since they can all confirm that they've been waiting since Day 1 for the pair to get their act together.

Once the heckling settles down, Courtney gives her answer. "I would have to say the Saboteur challenge- the one where our former enemies came back. Sky and I helped each other out, I made peace with Duncan and Scott, and I stayed loyal to my friends by voting out Scarlett. More than anything, that challenge showed how much I grew, and that I was only getting better as the season went on."

There's a brief pause in the air after Courtney's answer. Justin finally gives them all a curt nod before returning to his seat.

Shawn doesn't wait for anyone to tell him that it's his turn. The former winner stands up triumphantly and swiftly takes his place before the Final Three. He takes a deep breath before giving them the rundown.

"I don't have any questions; I'm just going to speak my mind about the Final Three. Courtney, not gonna lie, I still kind of have a grudge against you for voting me out. I understand why you did it, but I think you made the game way more difficult for yourself by staying with Scarlett. Dawn, I didn't really get a chance to know you while I was here. You played the best game you could, but you made a lot of mistakes along the way. Jasmine, babe, what can I say? You _dominated_ this season. You had everything planned out, and were always able to sway the vote in your favor. Even if you weren't my girlfriend, you'd still get my vote. I love you, and am so proud of everything you accomplished this season."

Jasmine tears up as Shawn gets to the end of his speech. He wants to add more, but he's not sure what else to say. Before he can decide, Jo interrupts him.

"We get it, you're in love! Now pop a squat, lover boy, it's Brick's turn and we still have like 15 of us left!"

Shawn gives off a huff, but nonetheless complies and resumes his seat. Brick nervously takes his place, front and center.

The cadet fidgets as he speaks. "Um, congrats to all of you on a job well done. I'm sure you all know by now how much I value the importance of a team. So my question to you all is... what strengths did you offer your original team?"

Courtney goes first with, "My competitiveness was my biggest strength to my team, and I think it's what helped me last as long as I did. And considering the... well, unique dynamics of the Brainy Beetles, that's probably the best thing I could've offered. Trying to be any more personable than I was would've ended in flames."

Jasmine speaks up afterwards. "My commitment to the team, in every aspect. I didn't just want us to win, I wanted us all to enjoy ourselves as well. And it worked- not only did we have the fewest eliminations of any team, we were the team that was the closest thing to a family. A crazy, dysfunctional family, for sure, but a family nonetheless."

The smiles on the faces of the other six Brawny Beavers confirms Jasmine's statement. Dawn tries to not let the display discourage her as she gives her answer.

"I think I was pretty much the peacemaker of the Beautiful Butterflies- as odd as that sounds now. Once we were a team of four, we were really strong competition-wise, but everyone was constantly bickering. I'd like to think that I was able to help keep the peace, if only for a little while longer."

The petite blonde isn't too certain about the quality of her answer, but the nods from Leshawna, Lindsay, and Sugar tell her that her answer was at least an accurate one.

Brick gives the Final Three a salute before going back to his designated spot next to Jo. As Jo stands up to ask her own question, Brick is quick to give her a peck on the cheek, much to her chagrin. As she approaches the finalists, they can see her blushing from the PDA, indicating that she didn't hate it as much as she let on.

Still, once she opens her mouth, it's hard to remember that this is the same woman who got voted out due to a love confession.

"Alright, let's get a sappy crud out of the way. Congrats on making to the the Final Three. Since I didn't win, I guess you three are suitable replacements. So, win me over by answering this simple question; what's the most important component to winning the game? Oh, and one-word answers only."

"Strategy." Jasmine answers bluntly, all too used to Jo's no-nonsense attitude.

"Dedication." Courtney says, copying Jasmine's clear-cut manner of speaking.

Dawn does the same with her answer, "Intuition."

Jo smirks at the three ladies, and it's impossible to tell whether it's because she likes their answers or if she thinks they're all full of shit. Either way, she goes back to her seat without another word, and Cameron takes her place at the front.

The short, former winner plays with his hands for a few seconds before he finally looks up at the Final Three. His gaze is immediately fixed on Courtney.

"Courtney..." he says timidly, only to gain more confidence as he continues to speak. "I'm not entirely sure what to make of your time on the Brainy Beetles. None of us really do. You were pretty much Scarlett's second in command your entire time on our team, and you were at least somewhat responsible for all of our eliminations. You kept your promise to me about voting off Scarlett, but we still have a lot of unanswered questions. I'm giving you this time to defend yourself about your time on the Brainy Beetles."

Courtney is admittedly thrown off by Cameron's time being dedicated to solely questioning her early gameplay, but in hindsight, it makes sense. Since Cameron didn't make the merge, his primary interactions were with the Brainy Beetles. Cameron has a pleading look on his face, and Courtney takes that to mean there's still time to win him over. And the only way she can do that is by being honest with him.

"My gameplay on the Brainy Beetles was completely different from my post-merge game, and there's no denying that. After Harold was eliminated, Scarlett was the first person on our team to approach me about an alliance, and it made sense to accept it. Pretty much every decision I made when I was on the Brainy Beetles was the decision that logically made the most sense. It made sense to vote off Shawn, who would never align with me, and it made sense to vote off Leonard, who was more Scarlett's ally than mine. And unfortunately, Cameron, it made sense for me to vote you off instead of trying to defend you and risk both of our games. But there were also things that I did for personal reasons. I didn't have to befriend you, and I didn't have to promise you that I would get rid of Scarlett. I did those things because I wanted to. So while I did make a lot of impersonal choices while I was on the Brainy Beetles, other choices were based on my own feelings."

Pretty much every player that was voted off before the merge (with the exception of Lindsay) is surprised by Courtney's answer. Most of them were expecting her to say something along the lines of 'it's just a game', or criticize Cameron for taking it too personally. Sugar and Scarlett both roll their eyes, quite obviously not buying Courtney's impromptu speech. Everyone else looks proud of her answer, particularly DJ, Lightning, Leshawna, and Lindsay, who have seen firsthand how much progress she's made.

The only person that doesn't give away their reaction is Cameron himself. He merely nods and goes back to his seat. Courtney doesn't even know if he believed her or not.

 ** ***Confessional- Courtney*****  
"Cameron was the one person on the Brainy Beetles who I believed would vote for me, and now I'm pretty sure that's gone out the window. He'll probably go with B and vote for Dawn. If I didn't like my odds before, I'm _really_ not liking them now."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

When the confessional closes out, we see that it's now Leonard standing before them all. He takes a deep breath before he begins a speech of his own.

"The way I see it, this Final Three is like one of my LARPing scenarios. Courtney, you were the wicked witch. You put on a facade, pretending to be reformed, but all you did was manipulate everyone around you to do thy bidding. Jasmine, you were the dragon- you carried out the plans that suited your needs, not caring who got burned in the process. And lastly, we have Dawn, the fairest of them all, who will arise from the bloodshed, above all the wickedness that the other two inflicted on us. Due to all of this, you, Dawn, have my vote today."

"Um... thank you?" A confused Dawn replies, unsure of how to take the speech. Courtney and Jasmine both look equally as confused. They know they should be offended, but neither of them were really expecting to get Leonard's vote anyway, so it's hard to take him seriously.

Before Leonard can say or do anything else, Eva pushes him towards his seat so that she can finally have her turn.

"Okay, I'm going to add onto Cameron's little speech from before. Obviously, your words and actions will make or break your game. Since Courtney got a chance to defend herself, my question is for Dawn and Jasmine. What's the most questionable decision that you made during your time this season?"

Dawn goes first, because her answer is obvious. "Everyone knows the impact that voting out Lindsay had on my game. I knew they were growing the challenge, and I knew that they were going to vote out Sugar, and it would've been easy to go along with that plan. But once I learned about the TDI alliance, I just couldn't allow them to all stay. Not with the merge coming up. So I voted with Sugar, and hoped that it would give me that much more of a chance going into the merge. But even though my journey afterwards was complicated, I still stand by that choice, since it got me here. It's the one dishonest thing I did all season, and I'm tired of having to answer for it."

Everyone glances in Lindsay's direction to see what she makes of the answer. To the shock of most, she seems content, and maybe even proud.

To Dawn's relief, Jasmine begins to give her answer before anyone can respond.

"Voting out Sky and Leshawna, and for similar reasons. In both cases, I _had_ to make those choices, but I didn't want to. There was no way I could have let the TDI alliance move beyond that point, and Leshawna was the only one that we could all compromise on voting for. Similarly, I couldn't allow both Sky and Lightning to make it any further together, because they'd always choose each other over everyone else. I would've loved to vote out Sugar in either of those cases, but it was the right decision in the long run. So I guess they weren't the most regrettable choices, but more the ones that hurt the most to make."

Eva seems satisfied enough with these answers, though she gives no indication about which answer she preferred. She nonchalantly heads back to her seat as Lindsay excitedly scurries over to begin her turn.

Lindsay chirps out happily, "Hey you guys! I'm like, so proud of all of you, you totally deserved to make it this far! Okay, so since you were each apart of a different team in the beginning, my question to you is... why is you team's type- Brain, Brawn, or Beauty- the best one for you?"

Courtney answers first with, "The Brains team was the best choice for me because I value resourcefulness and logic. Even when I became a more personable player, I made sure to make the choices that would be best for me down the line."

Jasmine replies with, "The Brawn team was all about strength, _of_ _all kinds_. We had a lot of baggage to work through; romance, stubbornness, pride. We needed a lot of strength to make it through living together, much less a challenge. I think I exemplified that during my time on the Brawny Beavers, which is why I fit into the team perfectly."

Dawn finishes it off with, "It sounds cliche, but being on the Beauty team allowed me to see the beauty in people I had never played with before. Leshawna's leadership, Lindsay's kindness, and even Sugar's strength allowed us to be an unstoppable team for quite some time. We had our downfalls, but I can't help but be proud of everything we accomplished on the Beautiful Butterflies."

Lindsay's smile only grows wider at each answer. She says to them, "Thanks you guys, your answers were great!"

As Lindsay saunters back to her seat, Scarlett wastes no time in making her way to the center to say her piece. All three finalists can't help but think how ironic it is that the season's most evil contestant is going right after one of the nicest.

When the redhead reaches her mark, she casts an evil glare at the women, giving each of them the same amount of disdain. As expected, Scarlett knows exactly what it is she wants to say.

"I see no point in wasting time asking pointless questions, when I would much rather let all of you know just what is wrong with this Final Three. Courtney, I've said it before and I'll say it again- you were nothing without our alliance in this game. You let your emotions get the best of you, and constantly chose your friends over the more strategically sound choice. You didn't mature, you grew weaker. Jasmine, you're only here because the more likable Brawny Beavers were eliminated for foolish reasons. Had DJ not been the victim of Sugar's sole vote, and Lightning and Sky focused on something other than their relationship, you wouldn't even be a contender for the million. Dawn, you will receive my vote today. However, please don't think it's because your gameplay was somehow superior to the other two women. No, you're getting my vote because I can not possibly fathom why I would waste it on the fools sitting next to you. You're merely the least objectionable."

None of the Final Three are amused with Scarlett's rant. Not even Dawn, who was given a guaranteed vote. With a wicked smirk and nothing more to say, Scarlett quickly turns around and struts confidently back to her seat.

 ** ***Confessional- Dawn*****  
"While I'm happy to be receiving votes from any contestant, Leonard and Scarlett giving me votes out of spite is _not_ a compliment. But... I'll still take the votes either way."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

When the camera's back at the fire pit, we see that Leshawna's the next contestant up. She looks more serious than Lindsay did, but is still a much more calming presence than Scarlett.

Leshawna shows off a warm grin to help put them all at ease. She perks up a little more as she speaks.

"Don't be lookin' so down, not everyone is a sore loser like Scarlett. Congrats to all my sistas. It's great to see an all-girl Final Three, especially one as deserving as you all."

Leshawna's upbeat attitude instantly lifts the trio's spirits. She waits a moment before continuing with her question.

"So anyway, you all remember how right before the merge, we were divided into Heroes and Villains teams. My question to you three is: What are your feelings about being assigned to either the Hero or Villain team?"

Dawn doesn't even have to think about her answer. "I don't agree with my placement at all, and I think I was placed there for one mistake that overshadowed all the other good I did beforehand. But I understand that my actions have consequences, and my choice to vote off Lindsay hurt a lot of people. So I am sorry for anybody I personally hurt for that decision."

Jasmine answers next. "Looking back, I know a lot of the choices I made were for my personal benefit, and not to hurt or help anyone else. In terms of the game, I had a pretty neutral moral compass. However, I do try to be a nice person, so it was nice to see my team placement reflect that."

There's a brief pause before Courtney gives her response, much to some campers' confusion. For all her talk about being a villain, it's surprising to see the forethought she's putting into her answer.

"I think... I think I tried to be more heroic this season, but I've learned to embrace some of my more villainous traits. I'll always be incredibly emotional, overly competitive, and brash. Those things will never change. So by this game's definition, I guess I do agree with my placement, and I think it helped me in the long run. I won Invincibility that week, and it was my first time talking to Lightning, who ended up being one of my most valuable allies. A lot of good came out of that Villains team."

Leshawna is beaming at Courtney's answer, clearly proud of her former ally's growth. She doesn't have to say aloud that Courtney has her vote, because it's obvious to everyone that she does.

It's Sky's turn next, much to Lightning's disappointment, as he has to let go of her hand. Sky kisses him very quickly before she heads to the center to ask her question. Even the biggest skeptics of camp romance can't deny that the couple is nothing short of adorable.

Sky has the faintest hint of blush showing on her cheeks, still getting used to the fact that she's in a sickeningly sweet relationship. She coughs lightly before finally asking her question.

"So last challenge, you three, plus Sugar and Lightning, had to rescue the camper closest to you. And something I realized was that Lightning was the only one whose loved one was on the same original team as him. So my question to you three is; who on your original team helped you the most in the game?"

Courtney answers bluntly, "Honestly, mine's between Cameron and Scarlett. Scarlett and I had a shaky alliance, but it was an effective alliance nonetheless. And Cameron was the closest thing I had to a friend on the Brainy Beetles. Even though I voted for him, I still appreciated the time we had."

Jasmine's reply is, "DJ, definitely. We were a duo on the Brawny Beavers. We made important decisions together, and we also goofed off together. It was the most fun I had all season."

Dawn begrudgingly says, "As much as I hate to admit it, Sugar. We voted the same way in the eliminations, and it was clear that Leshawna and Lindsay were best friends in the game. I don't respect Sugar's choices later on in the season, but we needed each other early on."

Sky's content expression doesn't waver throughout any of the answers. And it doesn't leave as she walks back to the bleachers. The only time she does break from her neutral expression is when Lightning tucks his hand back into hers.

"You're gonna have to let go again in a few minutes." Jo points out to them.

"Sha-damn Jo, let us have this!" Lightning loudly whispers back.

Chris interjects with, "Hey, no commentary yet from the peanut gallery! B, since you don't, ya know... talk, is there anything you'd like to, uh, gesture to the Final Three?"

B stands up from his spot, not even bothering to head to the front. He looks at Courtney first, and gives her a thumbs up. He then looks to Jasmine, also giving her a thumbs up. Finally, he fixes his gaze to Dawn, and flashes two thumbs up to her before promptly sitting back down.

A confused Chris says, "Okay... makes sense. I guess that means next up is DJ!"

The brick house approaches the Final Three with as friendly of an aura as ever. He even looks to be a little nervous, as if he's the one who may lose the million. Finally he begins to speak his mind.

"I just wanted to say how proud I am to have competed with you three. In some way or another, you've all grown so much. Jasmine, your boyfriend was eliminated early in the game. I was there when you cried it out on the night of his elimination. But after that, you picked yourself up and grew into being an excellent teammate, strategist, and competitor. Dawn, you got the rare opportunity to come back after being eliminated. And right after, you lost your best friend. That sucks, but you only grew stronger after that. You stopped apologizing for voting out Lindsay, you helped Sky rescue Lightning, and you stood up to Sugar. You're much more confident now than you were at your first elimination. But still, it's incredibly obvious to everyone who's getting my vote today. Courtney- you've grown so much this season. You made friendships, you held your own against other ruthless players, and you stayed true to yourself, outbursts and all. You're my best friend, something I never could've imagined happening. You've earned your spot here more than anyone else, and that's a fact."

All three women looked touched at DJ's kind words. Jasmine and Dawn can't help but smile at the compliments, even when they know they won't be getting his vote. Courtney looks close to breaking down into tears of joy.

DJ thinks about whether he should add in more, only to decide that it was probably best to leave it at that. He briefly waves to all of before going back to his spot.

Lightning's up next, and just like Jo says, he has to let go of Sky's hand again in order to say his piece. He looks like he wants to kiss her again, but Sky gives him a gentle nudge to direct him towards the Final Three. Lightning complies, if only to see the three women that tried to save him last challenge.

He struggles with finding where he should start, but once he does, his question comes out natural.

"Hey guys, sha-congrats on the Final Three. Lightning meant what I said last time, you all deserve it. So... it's safe to say everyone was surprised with how far I went into the game. Like Chris said, everyone was expecting the Lightning to get voted off as soon as the Brawny Beavers lost. But for a lotta reasons, Lightning made it the Final Five. So my question to you guys is; What surprised you the most about yourselves this season?"

All three finalist take a moment to reflect before they give their answers. Jasmine is the first one to speak up.

"What surprised me the most is how well my plans worked. Every vote I was a part of went my way, something no one else was able to do. I'm proud of that fact, but it was be a little surprising that I pulled it off."

Courtney answers with, "Looking back, I'm surprised at just how much I changed. I made more friends this season than all my previous seasons combined, and I kept them all. I really don't have any regrets, even if this isn't the Final Three I envisioned early on. I guess I'm surprised with how great I feel at this point, even when everything didn't go my way."

Finally, Dawn gives her response. "What surprised me the most was how far I'd fallen, only to come back that much stronger. I went from middle of the pack, to public enemy number one, to returning player, to Final Three. And I'm proud of all it."

Once Dawn finishes, Lightning seems impressed with everyone's answer. He makes his way back to the bleachers, not forgetting to glare at Sugar as she stands up for her turn. However, before she can do anything else, Chris speaks up.

"Alright! So not that we've gotten through the jury memebers, it's-"

"Hey, wait a minute! I didn't get to say my piece!" The pageant queen interjects.

Chris wastes no time in replying, "You want a turn? Well, don't cheat next time. Seriously, your shenanigans really messed up the intern's betting pool. Now pop a squat and be happy you're even getting a vote!"

Sugar is about to fight back, only to be shoved back in her seat by Chef. The pageant queen continues to pout as Chris gives instructions.

"Alright, here's how it's going to work: one-by-one, each of the eliminated contestants will walk over to the Outhouse Confessional and place your vote. Remember, you're choosing the picture of the person you _want_ to make the Final Two. When everyone's done, I will reveal the results. The person with the most votes will receive an advantage in the Finale, and the person with the fewest votes will receive a date with the Slingshot of Defeat. Now, let's get started. Harold's up first."

Harold wastes no time in strutting over to the Outhouse Confessional. Courtney rolls her eyes at the whole scene, clearly annoyed that he even gets a say in this.

 ** ***Confessional- Courtney*****  
"After everything we heard today, I'm not sure if I would've preferred this, or an actual challenge. I'm trying to be optimistic, but it's getting kind of difficult."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Topher goes afterwards without incident, followed by Anne Maria, Justin, Shawn, Jo, Brick, and Cameron. The unreadable glance Cameron gives to the finalists does nothing to calm anyone's nerves.

 ** ***Confessional- Dawn*****  
"The jury members are doing a great job at hiding their intentions- not even their auras give away their votes. This may be closer than any of us anticipated."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Afterwards, it goes Leonard, Eva, Lindsay, Scarlett, Leshawna, and Sky. Time seems to slow down for all of them the closer it gets to the end.

 ** ***Confessional- Jasmine*****  
"As much as I try to have confidence in my game, I can't help but over analyze all of my answers now. I honestly don't know how this is gonna go, and I hate the uncertainty."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

B goes next, followed by DJ, Lightning, and finally Sugar to round it all out. When Sugar returns, Chef goes to the Outhouse Confessional to retrieve the votes. He returns with the stack of pictures, which he hands over to Chris.

Chris briefly glances through the votes before he addresses the jury. "Campers, I'd like to thank you all for your time today. Chef is going to bring you back to the Playa, where you will soon be joined by our third place finisher."

"Wait," Sky asks aloud, "you're not going to read the votes?"

The host replies, "Nope. Well, not with you all here. But you'll find out soon enough, because the loser of the day will be sent there tonight."

"Can we at least say goodbye?" Lindsay asks.

Chris shakes his head and says, "Nope, sorry. And don't give me that face, DJ! You'll see each other at the Finale! Now, scram, all of you!"

The jury members all groan in annoyance, but nonetheless obey Chris' orders and follow Chef away from the fire pit. A few of them wave goodbye to the Final Three, but none of them dare to try anything more while Chef is leading the way.

Once the jury is out of sight, Chris addresses the Final Three directly.

"Courtney, Jasmine, and Dawn. Soon we will learn which of you will fight for the million in our Finale. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to count the votes. When I return, we will have our final Campfire Ceremony of the season."

The host leaves before any of them can ask any questions. Unsure of what else to do, they all remain seated, and silently wait out Chris' brief intermission.

* * *

 _*Meanwhile, back at the Playa...*_  
It doesn't take very long for Chef to drop off the eliminated contestants back at the Playa. As soon as they make it back to their temporary home, the 18 jury members scatter about as they wait to see who will be joining them soon.

Most of the campers head straight to the pool, but there are a few exceptions. Leshawna, DJ, and Lindsay go to the kitchen, away from some of the more judgmental contestants. Scarlett generally keeps to herself, though this is partially due to everyone being too scared to ask how she spends her free time here. And finally, Sky, Lightning, Jo, and Brick opt to skip the pool tonight in favor of the arcade room. Currently, they're playing amongst the various tabletop games when this conversation arises.

"So, sha-who did you vote for?" Lightning asks Jo nonchalantly as they face off in a game of foosball.

Jo answers without missing a beat. "Jasmine. We need a Brawny Beaver in the Finale."

"Sha-What?! No way! Courtney played a way better game! Right Sky?" Lightning turns to ask his girlfriend from across the room as she takes part in an intense shooting game.

Sky guiltily looks up from her game when she hears Lightning's question. She knows he won't like her answer, but she tells him anyway.

"Actually Lightning, I voted for Jasmine too."

"Haha, even your girlfriend agrees with me." Jo taunts.

A surprised Lightning replies, "Shut up, Jo! Sky, why you betraying Lightning like that?"

Sky chuckles at her boyfriend's commitment to a challenge that he isn't even in. She explains, "It's not a betrayal, Lightning, I just think Jasmine played the best game. It's hard to argue with her voting record."

"But Courtney learned so much more!" Lightning defends.

Jo, enjoying every moment of this, decides to add more fuel to the fire. She gestures over to her own boyfriend and adds, "You, know, Brick voted for Jasmine too."

"Lightning can't believe what he is hearing." The baffled jock says.

Brick doesn't even look up from his game of Pac Man when he says, "Honestly, I don't know why you're all arguing about it. Dawn's clearly getting most of the votes today."

Jo looks absolutely appalled by Brick's response, much to the amusement of Sky and Lightning. "I know you're my boyfriend and everything, but you really need to stop saying crazy things like that."

"Also, if you think that, why are you voting for Jasmine?" Sky asks him, genuinely curious.

Brick gives a shrug before he explains with, "I want to see her in the Finale. But Dawn's going to wipe the floor with jury votes. Courtney will get DJ, Lightning, Lindsay, and Leshawna's votes, Jasmine will get our three votes plus Shawn's, and Dawn will get pretty much anyone that's pissed at either Courtney, Jasmine, or both."

There's a brief pause after Brick's analysis before Lightning finally waves them off and shouts, "Man, you're all crazy!"

"If you're all so confident your choice, why not make this interesting?" A cocky Jo asks out of nowhere.

Just as Jo predicted, Lightning can't help but rise to the bait. "Lightning's listening."

Jo pulls out a $20 bill before continuing. "Let's bet on it. Sky and I get Jasmine, Lightning gets Courtney, and Brick gets Dawn. Winner gets all the money in the pot, loser has to put in twice as much everyone else."

Lightning doesn't even hesitate to pull out a twenty of his own and reply, "You are sha-so on!"

Sky and Brick look at each other for a moment before they give in with a lighthearted sigh. They each pull out their own $20 bills as a sign of their compliance.

Suddenly the door to the game room swings open to reveal Lindsay, who is happily munching on a cookie.

She lights up when she sees the four of them and says, "Hey you guys, we made cookies! Come grab some!"

"Race ya." Jo challenges her boyfriend. Brick gives in immediately, and both of them are out the door before anyone else can process what happened.

Lindsay leaves next to head back to where the cookies are waiting for her. Sky and Lightning follow soon after her.

"No hard feelings when Jo and I win, okay?" Sky teases as she tucks her hand into Lightning's.

Lightning squeezes her hand in return as he confidently replies, "Psh, sha-sorry Sky, I love you, but the Lightning can't wait to prove you all wrong tonight!"

There's a brief pause after that, as Sky is caught off guard by a particular piece of Lightning's declaration.

"Wait, what did you say?" She asks her boyfriend.

Lightning's face scrunches up in confusion, only for his eyes to widen like saucers when he realizes what he said. "... Nothing! Sha-nothing! Just that you're gonna lose, that's it!"

Sky looks like she wants to say more, but instead says, "Okay... Tell you what; if you win, I'll buy you more granola bars too. You've been complaining about how you forgot yours since you got here. But you're treating me to candy if I win. Deal?"

Lightning relaxes when he realizes Sky is letting his slip up go. He smiles once more before bending down to give her a soft kiss on the lips.

"Deal."

 ** ***Confessional- Sky*****  
"Oh I know what Lightning said, and I think it's a little soon to be using the "L" word, but that's what living in close quarters for months will do to you. Besides... I'm pretty sure I feel the same way. But there's no rush to say it right now- I'll do it when the time is right."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

* * *

 _*Campfire Ceremony*_  
At long last, Chris returns with the stack of votes, still securely in his grip. Considering how long they've been waiting, no one's surprised to see that Chef has returned from the Playa and is standing by Chris' side.

"Did it really take that long for you to count 18 votes?" An annoyed Jasmine asks.

Chris calmly answers, "Huh? Oh, no, I finished like an hour ago. I just wanted to wait until it was dark out. It adds to the aesthetic."

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Courtney shouts.

"Nope! Anyway, this is what we're gonna do; I'll give you the name of each jury member, and then I'll show you who they voted for. Chef is keeping a tally of how many votes each of you get. All votes are final, and the camper with the lowest score will be joining the other eliminated contestants via the Slingshot of Defeat. Now, let's begin with some of the more obvious decisions."

Chris holds up the first picture with the face hidden from the Final Three.

"Leshawna voted for... Courtney."

He turns the picture over to reveal Courtney's headshot. He then places throws the picture into the campfire, only to repeat the process with the next photograph.

"DJ also voted for Courtney. Shawn voted for Jasmine. B voted for Dawn."

"We're at two votes for Courtney, one for Jasmine, and one for Dawn." Chef reads from his clipboard.

Chris replies, "Thank you, Chef," before resuming to revealing the votes again.

"Sugar voted for Dawn. Sky voted for Jasmine. Lindsay voted for Courtney. Scarlett voted for Dawn. Lightning's vote is for Courtney."

"Halfway through, and we're now at four votes Courtney, three votes Dawn, and two votes Jasmine." Chef announces.

Jasmine visibly tenses up when she hears that she's in last as of now. Chris makes no comment about her uneasiness, and instead chooses to move on.

"Justin's vote is for... Jasmine. Leonard's vote is for Dawn. Jo voted for Jasmine. Brick also voted for Jasmine. Topher voted for Courtney, and Harold voted for Dawn."

"With three votes left, we have a three-way tie, with five votes each." Chef declares.

If the campers weren't uneasy before, they certainly are now. The vote is way too close for anyone's liking, and it's impossible to tell how the last three campers voted.

Chris holds up the next picture, purposefully building up the suspense as they get to the end.

"Next up is Eva, who voted for..."

Courtney, who can barely contain her anxiety any longer, reaches out to Jasmine and grips onto her hand. Jasmine accepts the gesture, and extends her free hand to Dawn, who grabs it without hesitation. The three women all hold onto each other as if they'll fly away if they were to let go.

Chris finally flips over the picture.

"Jasmine."

Jasmine breathes out a sigh of relief as the other two finalists give her a pat on the hand in support.

Chris picks up the second to last vote of the night, and begins the grueling process all over again.

"Next up is Anne Maria's vote, which is... also for Jasmine. And with only one vote left, that means... Congratulations Jasmine. No matter what the next vote is, you will advance to the Final Two, and with an advantage in our last challenge."

Jasmine can't contain herself any longer. At the announcement of her officially heading to the Finale, she breaks down in tears of joy. Courtney and Dawn both offer their congratulations, despite how nervous they are to hear the last vote.

When the momentary celebration settles down, Chris holds up the photograph that is the last vote of the night. He has the full attention of Dawn and Courtney, whose respective fates lie with that photograph.

Chris holds for another dramatic pause before he wraps up the votes for the night.

"Courtney, Dawn... with five votes each, one of you will join Jasmine in the Finale, and the other will be sent to the Playa. This last vote is Cameron's, and I can confirm that he did indeed vote for one of you. So with that, the second person to join the Final Two is..."

After another moment's suspense, Chris turns over the photograph. The headshot reveals tan skin, dark eyes, and precisely cut brown hair.

"Courtney." Chris states to the trio. At the announcement, Courtney jumps up from her stump, punching the air with her fist. After multiple seasons of disappointment, she's finally reached what once seemed to be an impossible goal. Only the upset look in Dawn's eyes settles her down.

"Dawn, I'm so-" she begins to say, only to be interrupted by Dawn herself.

"Don't be, I'm alright, really. Honestly... I'm still proud of how far I made it. And I can feel our chakras aligning, so... everything is as it should be."

With that, the petite blonde pulls Jasmine and Courtney into a tight embrace, genuinely proud of the Final Two, and how far they've come.

"Congratulations you two, you've both earned it. I'll be an impartial supporter at the Finale."

A cough from Chris pulls the three women out of their private conversation. When they all turn to him, Chris addresses the latest ousted camper.

"Dawn, I'm sorry to say that your time here has come to a close. But from what I see, it looks like there's no hard feelings between you three. Kind of disappointing. So, you ready to go?"

Dawn immediately nods and answers, "Yes. I'm excited to see everyone again."

The scene changes to show Dawn placed in the Slingshot of Defeat, with Chef holding her back. She offers Jasmine and Courtney a final wave goodbye, which they happily return. After that, Chef sends her flying across the lake.

With Dawn out of sight, Courtney and Jasmine turn to each other, no longer capable of hiding their excitement.

"Final Two!" Jasmine squeals.

"Final Two!" Courtney returns. The duo pull each other into another hug, forgetting all their worries for a moment. Soon enough, they'll be each other's last obstacle for the million. Tonight, however, they're two women supporting each other, and the different journeys they took to get to this point.

As the pair walks back to the cabin, the camera turns to Chris so he can close out the episode.

"And there we have it, our Final Two... Jasmine vs. Courtney! What will the challenge entail? How will the soon to be rivals react? And most importantly, who will come out of it a million dollars richer? You'll see it all next time, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"

 **•** ** **End of Episode Eighteen•****

* * *

 ** **At long last, we have our Final Two, Jasmine and Courtney! What do you guys think of it? Is it the choice you would've made, or is there another route you would've taken? I've really enjoyed reading everyone's comments, guesses, and opinions on who the Final Two should be, so I can't wait to read your reactions now that you know who they actually are.****

 ** **Here is the voting lineup for this episode. The name next to each eliminated contestant indicates who they voted for to move on to the Final Two:****  
 ** **Harold- Dawn****  
 ** **Topher- Courtney****  
 ** **Anne Maria- Jasmine****  
 ** **Justin- Jasmine****  
 ** **Shawn- Jasmine****  
 ** **Brick- Jasmine****  
 ** **Jo- Jasmine****  
 ** **Cameron- Courtney****  
 ** **Leonard- Dawn****  
 ** **Eva- Jasmine****  
 ** **Lindsay- Courtney****  
 ** **Scarlett- Dawn****  
 ** **Leshawna- Courtney****  
 ** **Sky- Jasmine****  
 ** **B- Dawn****  
 ** **DJ- Courtney****  
 ** **Lightning- Courtney****  
 ** **Sugar- Dawn****

 ** **Final Tally:****  
 ** **Jasmine- 7 Votes****  
 ** **Courtney- 6 Votes****  
 ** **Dawn- 5 Votes****

* * *

 ** **Before I delve into the finalists, let's break down the Final Three- specifically Dawn, and why her time ended here. I understand that there's a lot of hype surrounding Dawn's character in the fandom. People love Dawn. Honestly, I don't understand the worship of her. Don't get me wrong, I like her, and would be more than happy to see her again in canon. However, of all the characters I want to see more of, Dawn just doesn't particularly stand out to me. Before I decided to have B and Dawn return, I had no problem having her finish in 10th place. But then I changed the storyline to include an episode that had characters return, and Dawn fit in**** ** _ **perfectly**_** ** **with what I was looking for. The returning camper was never going to be the star of the show, but I wanted them to go far and develop a little more confidence in themselves. Dawn started the game in a quiet but comfortable position, and her lack of confidence led to her demise when she voted for Lindsay. By earning her right to return, and lasting as long as she did, Dawn grew more confident in her capabilities and was rewarded with a 3rd place finish.****

 ** **While Dawn's story is admirable in its own right, it pales in comparison to Jasmine and Courtney's growth. I chose Jasmine and Courtney to be the finalists not just because I believe they played the best games, but also because their storylines serve as counterparts to each other.****

 ** **How? Well, let's look at each character. Jasmine's journey was about becoming a more strategic player, while Courtney's was about becoming a more sociable one. Jasmine started on a winning team (Brawny Beavers) and formed a friendship with the nicest person on the show (DJ). Courtney started on a losing team (Brainy Beetles) and formed an alliance with the season's evilest contestant (Scarlett). Jasmine was well liked throughout the season, but the person she cared about most (Shawn) was voted off early. Courtney was constantly reminded of her bad reputation, but didn't lose her closest friend (DJ) until the Final Six. Part of Jasmine's strategy was to target the pairs in the game, while Courtney was part of the most successful one. Every single vote that Jasmine had a say in went her way. Courtney was less lucky, and her attachments to campers definitely showed when they were eliminated. Jasmine had a few emotional moments, such as losing Shawn, confronting Lightning when he lost Sky, and crying after DJ's elimination, but for the most part her story has been about a likable, kind woman that evolved into the season's strategic powerhouse. Courtney had a few strategic moments, like convincing Scarlett to get rid of Leonard, or voting out Sky over Sugar, but pretty much every big decision she made (voting out Scarlett, giving Lightning Invincibility, mending her relationships with Duncan and Scott) were all done for personal reasons. Her story has been about a former villain coming out of her shell and learning from her past mistakes.****

 ** **Next chapter is THE FINALE, and I'm sooo excited to finally reveal the winner, and bring this story to a close. The chapter title is aptly named, "Woman Up, it's the Finale".****

 ** **Before that, I do have a question for all of you! I plan on having Jasmine and Courtney each have two helpers in the Finale. Obviously, Jasmine's first helper is going to be Shawn and Courtney's will be DJ. So my question to you all is; who do you want to be their second helper? I have an idea of who I want them to be, but I would**** ** _ **really**_** ** **like to hear from the readers who they want to see. I would like to keep it to just the contestants that competed in this season. Please, don't hesitate to write out your thoughts in a review or private message!****

 ** **Unfortunately, I'm not sure how long this next chapter will take, because there's a lot more outlining that needs to be worked on. If it begins to take longer than the usual month, I'll make sure to post an update about my progress.****

 ** **Until next time- stay beautiful everyone!****  
 ** **~VintageMadame****

* * *

 ** **Eliminated: Harold, Topher, Anne Maria, Justin, Shawn, Brick, Jo, Cameron, Leonard, Eva, Lindsay, B (RETURNED), Dawn (RETURNED), Scarlett, Leshawna, Sky, B, DJ, Lightning, Sugar, Dawn****


	20. Woman Up, It's the Finale

****Ermagawd, it's finally here, the much anticipated FINALE! I can not tell you all enough how much your support has meant to me, be it through reviews, favorites, follows, PMs, or just simply reading the fic as I go! I am blessed by all the positive reception this has received!****

 ** **Another announcement I have is that this story officially has a page on TVTropes in the 'Fanworks' section! SideshowJazz1 and I have both added some tropes in there, and I encourage you all to go check it out, maybe even add in your own tropes! I love that website so I'm excited to know that my work has a page there!****

 ** **Thank you to everyone that reviewed the last chapter and told me who you wanted to see be Jasmine and Courtney's helpers. It's great to see everyone's viewpoints! My final decision is probably not the one that is expected, but I hope the way I wrote different characters' involvements is one that'll make everyone happy.****

 ** **So now, please enjoy the final chapter of Total Drama: Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty!****

 ** **Courtney vs. Jasmine****

* * *

 ** ***Last Episode Recap*****  
"Last time, on Total Drama... our Final Three spent the day trying to convince our jury, the 18 previously eliminated contestants, that they deserved a spot in the Final Two. Some people were kind, some were analytical, and some, like Scarlett (remember her?), were absolutely _brutal_. A side bet with Sky, Jo, Lightning, and Brick also took place, with Jo and Sky coming out on top after correctly guessing that Jasmine would get the most votes. Though the Australian won the advantage, Courtney still got her dream of making the Finale; edging out Dawn by just one vote. But not to worry, Dawn left with a smile on her face and no regrets.

And now, 19 contestants later, it's all come down to our Final Two! First we have Jasmine, who started the game as an essential member of the Brawny Beavers. When she wasn't leading the Beavers to multiple victories, she was squealing with DJ about her teammates' obvious crushes. Jasmine's low point came early in the game, when her boyfriend was eliminated in the fourth Campfire Ceremony, only to be followed by the Brawny Beavers' double elimination. Since then, Jasmine's turned over a new leaf and became this season's strategic powerhouse. She made the alliances necessary to get ahead, and was the only camper to have every vote she was a part of go her way. Some campers saw her for the threat that she was, but Jasmine always came out ahead by way of natural talent and a near perfect strategy. Will she continue her record into first place? Or will this be the moment that her luck runs out?

Then we have Courtney, our season's 'Most Improved' player! Courtney started the game on the Brainy Beetles, with her bad reputation leaving her to align with Scarlett. Still, Courtney showed early signs of change through the friendships she made, the most noticeable of which was with DJ. Her connection to Scarlett along with her alliance of DJ, Leshawna, and Lindsay, kept her safe all the way to the merge. Things came to a head soon afterwards, when she was forced to choose between the friends she cared for and Scarlett's easy path to the Finale. Courtney shocked everyone when she went with her heart and voted out our resident evil genius. Moving forward, she not only mended previously strained relationships, but strengthened the friendships she made throughout the season. Despite losing her dearest friends to Sugar's plotting, Courtney persevered, and her determination earned the respect of her competitors and a spot in the Finale. Will Courtney overcome Jasmine, the final obstacle on her path to redemption? Or will she earn another 'L' on her Total Drama scorecard?

The final battle has arrived- Jasmine vs. Courtney! Who will win... Brains or Brawn? Head or Heart? The conclusion we've all been been waiting for begins... now, on Total Drama... Brains! Vs. Brawn! Vs. Beauty!"  
 ** ***End Recap*****

* * *

The cabin door swiftly opens to reveal the Final Two walking in, the sense of pride within them increasing with each step they take. When the door is closed, they head over to their respective bunks, and lay down to process everything that got them to this point.

Jasmine lifts her head off of her pillow and quietly says, "We made it".

Courtney turns her head to face her remaining roommate. She can't stop smiling- the sense of accomplishment is too much for her. She breaks the eye contact as she happily replies, "Yeah, we really did."

Both ladies let out a sigh of content. It's barely been an hour since Dawn was sent to the Playa, but the finalists have been through a roller coaster of emotions since then. They went from happily squealing, to obnoxiously hyper, to overly anxious, and back to overjoyed. Now they've settled into just being content for the night. Jasmine would tease Courtney more about the crying she did on the walk back to the cabin if she didn't fight back a few tears herself.

Despite these emotions, they're exhausted from the mental strain that came with today. Before they actually do fall asleep, Jasmine has one more thing to say, if only to ensure that tomorrow's Finale is nothing more than friendly competition.

"Courtney, I know this isn't the Final Two that either of us planned-"

"Or wanted." Courtney teases.

Jasmine smiles at the playful tone. "Yeah, or wanted, but... it feels right, ya know? I don't think there's anyone else that worked as hard as us for this spot."

Courtney lets out a sigh before replying, "As much as I hate to admit it, you're right. The strategist and the social player- it's like some sick poetic justice that we're the only two left."

Jasmine chuckles. "I guess that's one way of putting it."

Not wanting to end the night on that note, Courtney asks, "Jasmine?"

"Yeah?"

"If I had to lose to anyone... well, I wouldn't hate it as much if I lost to someone like you, who worked so hard to earn it."

"Thank you, I feel the same way."

"I'm not going to lose though. Advantage or not, I'm going to find a way to beat you." Courtney stubbornly reminds her.

Jasmine just snickers at Courtney's comment; as if she needed to be reminded that the brunette was competitive. "I'd expect nothing less. Just so you know, I plan on beating you as well."

"Good. It'll make my win more satisfying." Courtney playfully quips back.

"Same to you." Jasmine retorts, a yawn breaking through at the end.

Sensing that the yawn means Jasmine is just as tired as her, Courtney settles more deeply into her bed and says calmly, "Goodnight Jasmine."

"Goodnight Courtney." Jasmine blissfully replies. Both women fall asleep soon after, their exhaustion overcoming the anxiety of what tomorrow will bring.

But then the next day comes and goes, with each finalist constantly remaining alert for signs of the last challenge. Despite their efforts, nothing happens.

"I bet it's a nighttime challenge. Chris will probably wake us up late tonight to get us at our most startled." Jasmine suggests.

An irritated Courtney replies, "Well, he's not going to trick me. I'm staying up tonight, and that's that."

"Same here. It would probably be worse to have my sleep disrupted anyway."

So the two finalists spend the night chatting and eating, hoping to keep each other awake. Still, the night passes by without a single notion of an upcoming challenge.

Both ladies are worn out from their all-nighter, but try to stay awake anyway, since this _must_ be the day of the challenge. They spend most of the day in their bunks, and fall asleep from pure exhaustion by the early evening.

The next day is much of the same; consistent waiting and nothing to show for it. Jasmine and Courtney decide today is a good time to wander around the island, something they really haven't had a chance to do outside of challenges.

"It's weird to see the island like this. No challenges, no other people... like it's just a normal place." Jasmine observes.

Courtney nods in agreement, allowing herself to be at peace for a small moment. Internally, her mind is still reeling around what this extended break could mean. It's been three days now, and they haven't heard a word from Chris, Chef, or any of the other campers.

"You don't think they forgot about us, do you?" Courtney asks Jasmine as they're walking along the beach.

"Don't be silly, of course they didn't. Chris probably just wants to freak us out. Besides, you know our friends wouldn't just leave us on a deserted island like this." Jasmine assures her.

Courtney laughs lightly at Jasmine's response, though her stiff appearance makes it clear to Jasmine that she is still anxious and uncomfortable. As a competitor, she should be thrilled by how fast Courtney is wearing down; but as a friend, she's incredibly concerned. Ultimately, the friend part of Jasmine wins out, and she attempts to console her.

"Hey, I know it's hard to just sit and wait for something to happen... especially with so much on the line. And telling you to 'just relax' won't do anything, but just know we both have a lot to be proud of. No matter what or when the challenge is, no one can take away the fact that we're the Final Two."

At first, it doesn't seem like Jasmine's words did any good. From the dazed look in Courtney's eyes, it's hard to tell if she even heard her. But then her smile widens ever so slightly, and Jasmine knows that she's reached her.

"Thanks, Jasmine," is all she says, but it's enough for now.

"No problem."

After that, the next few days are much calmer for the duo. There's still the ever present threat of the upcoming challenge, but it's more subtle. Courtney got the idea that if they don't address it, maybe it'll finally happen. They tried that on days 5 and 6. When that didn't work, they try exploring the island some more the day after, in hopes that they'll find some clues.

"This is getting exhausting." Courtney finally admits as they're walking back to their cabins that night.

"I have to agree. It's been..." Jasmine starts counting on her fingers, "...wow, exactly a week, and nothing's come up. You'd think we'd at least hear from someone at this point."

"... I think we have, technically." Courtney observes.

"Huh?"

"I mean, I know that we haven't been told anything, but... well, there's still three meals in the Mess Hall everyday, the bathrooms work, and we still have electricity. If they just left, I don't think any of that would happen. I think your first guess was right, that they're just making us wait it out to see if we crack."

By this time they've reached their cabin. Jasmine begins to open the door as she says, "Yeah, you make a good point. How much longer do you think they'll wait it out?"

Courtney shakes her head as she begins to walk through the door and into their room. "I don't know, hopefully they'll- wait, what the hell?"

Both women pause to stare at the newest addition to their cabin room; a gift basket filled with some of their favorite snacks and drinks that they've gone without for months. They couldn't get to their supposed prize fast enough. Jasmine lifts up the basket to take a closer look.

"What's all this? Hey, there's a card." She observes as she plucks the envelope from its place.

"What are you waiting for? Read it!" Courtney urges on.

Jasmine waves her off as she tears the card open. "Hold on a sec, I got it. ' _Congratulations Jasmine and Courtney on making it to the Final Two! We're sorry for the delay, but we've been hard at work to ensure the last challenge is our best yet! Please accept this gift basket on our behalf, and make sure to get plenty of rest. The final challenge will be held tomorrow_!"

Any sense of composure that the finalists had left in them was gone the instant they heard that the challenge was finally happening. They didn't think twice about tearing into the basket to help themselves to their consolation prize.

"Ugh, finally! It's been too long since I've had some chocolate." Courtney says, her mouth full of food as she speaks.

"And the challenge will finally be tomorrow! No more worrying about it!" Jasmine adds in as she begins to chow down on her own favorites.

Courtney doesn't recognize half of the food Jasmine is fawning over, but figures they're probably some Australian snacks she's never heard of. She decides not to question it, since it just means more chocolate for her.

They're about halfway through the basket when Jasmine asks, "Hey, do you feel funny?"

Courtney raises an eyebrow to her in response. "No, I feel- actually, I do feel a little lightheaded."

"Do you think... the food...?" Jasmine attempts to say more, but her eyelids begin to grow heavier with each passing second. Before she can reach for any of the food labels, she's fast asleep on the floor. Courtney doesn't even have time to react before she passes out beside her.

The scene goes black for a moment before it changes to show Chris and Chef, both with buckets of water in their hands. After the count of three, they toss the water onto their unsuspecting targets, which just so happen to be the Final Two. Jasmine and Courtney both abruptly wake up, but are clearly still dazed from whatever they ate last night.

It takes a moment for them to process what's going on, or that it's even daytime. Courtney's the first to remember the last few moments before they fell asleep.

"Wha... where are we? How long have we been out?" Courtney asks abruptly.

"What's going on?" Jasmine asks as she begins to regain her memory. "And where have you two been?!" She adds in as she points to Chris and Chef. There's a TV right behind them, which only confuses her more.

Chris' suspicious grin only grows wider at all the questions. Finally, he begins to give a more proper announcement.

"Jasmine... Courtney... from all of us to you, let me be the first to say... Welcome to your final challenge!"

The host extends his arms out for emphasis, and Chef unenthusiastically throws a small amount of confetti. Cheering can be heard in the distance, which causes Jasmine and Courtney to look around in even more confusion. The camera expands to reveal the source of the noise- the 19 previously eliminated campers, who are all sitting on bleachers and cheering along. They're sitting in three rows- Topher, Harold, Leshawna, Lindsay, Anne Maria, and Justin on the top row; Dawn, B, DJ, Lightning, Sky, Eva, and Leonard in the middle; and Cameron, Shawn, Jo, Brick, Scarlett, and Sugar on the bottom.

"Um, where are we?" Asked Jasmine, her mind too cluttered with questions to properly address the campers.

Courtney nods and adds in, "And how did we get here?"

Chris focuses back on the pair and says in his usual sadistically happy tone, "I can answer both of those questions. Currently, we are at the top of the artificial mountain that we used in the Final Five. As to how you got here... remember that gift basket? We put some tranquilizers in the snacks."

An appalled Jasmine hollers, "That was definitely uncalled for!"

Chris waves them off with a shrug. "Yeah, but filming you both climbing the mountain just seemed so boring, you know?"

"And just why did we wait a week for this challenge to happen?" An irritated Courtney questions.

"Hey, we had a lot to set up! And also, seeing you two bond while slowly losing it was both funny and heartwarming, so we rolled with it." Cris says defensively.

"Told you." Jasmine whispers to Courtney, who smiles back at her.

Chris, clearly done with the friendly atmosphere, decides to turn the attention back to him. "But enough of that, let's get to the details of today's challenge! Jasmine, Courtney, your challenge today is... an obstacle course!"

" _Finally_." Jasmine mutters in relief, seeing as this is a challenge more in her element.

"Also a trip down memory lane." Chris adds in.

"Huh?" Courtney questions.

Chris continues with, "Yup, your final challenge is to make it through mini versions of some of our favorite challenges this season. At each station you will find instructions detailing the specific task. If you succeed, you move on; if you fail, out have to start the task over. The first task starts here, on the mountain. Jasmine, this is where your advantage comes in. While Courtney has to travel by the trail she was assigned in the original challenge, you get to pick which trail you use, along with a 10 minute head start."

"Sweet." Jasmine replies happily. Courtney's beginning to grow even more concerned.

 ** ***Confessional- Courtney*****  
"I had a feeling that the last challenge would be something like this. An obstacle course is definitely something Jasmine will excel in, and she has a head start. But I'm no slouch either, and I'm confident I'll find a way to make up the time."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Chef centers the TV prompter so the women can see the screen better. As he turns the TV on, Chris does a sidestep in order to give himself a better angle. The screen shows a recording of the stage that they used in a few challenges. Once the visual is clear, Chris continues to explain the rest of their task. "Once you're down the mountain, you'll make your way to the stage where we had the quiz in the Final Six."

Chef then presses a button on the remote, and the screen changes to reveal a shot of the lake, which have two platforms rising above the water and batons resting on them.

"Next, you'll head over to the lake for an _extra special_ baton face off."

The screen flashes once more, this time to the dining hall. The picture that follows is a clip of the balance beam, with a paintball gun laying beside it. Then it changes again to show the remnants of a camp fire.

"Once you've cooled down from your face off, you need to go to the dining for a... well, a quick bite to eat. The challenge following that will be take place at the balance beam we used right before the merge. After that, run as fast as you can to the fire pit where Courtney found her team's medallion in the Hide-and-Seek challenge."

With another press of a button, Chef changes the TV's scenery back to an open field that's littered with camping equipment and old fire pits. It takes a second for them to realize it's the campsite that they haven't been to in ages.

"After you've found your medallions, you'll go to the campsite we used in the second challenge."

The TV switches over one last time, this time the picture being split in two. On the left side, we see a shot of the top of the diving cliff. On the right, there's a standard finish line placed on the beach; complete with checkered flags and obnoxious banners. Both finalists' eyes widen considerably at the last image.

"And finally, to wrap it all up, you will take your final dive off the cliff that we used in the very first challenge this season. Once you've jumped, you will swim to shore and race to the docks. First one to the finish line wins the million dollars, and the title as winner of Total Drama: Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty!"

The eliminated contestants begin to give a roaring applause as Chris finishes his explanation. Chef opts to give a light, indifferent clap after he shuts off the TV prompter. The camera turns to focus on Jasmine and Courtney, who both look to be equal parts excited, determined, and anxious.

 ** ***Confessional- Jasmine*****  
"Wow, it's finally happening... everything I've worked for has come down to this. I have the advantage going in, and that 10 minute head start could end up being vital. But I can't get cocky now; anything can happen during this challenge, and there's a lot of wiggle room to mess up."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

As the applause dies down, Chris speaks up again. "Now, before we actually begin the challenge, we have one more piece of business to get to. We've decided to allow you each to pick two campers to assist you in your final challenge. However, this comes with a twist."

"Oh god, what now?" Courtney groans.

Chris rolls his eyes before he elaborates. "As you both know, this season was based on a 'Brains, Brawn, Beauty' theme. To keep the theme strong until the end... your helpers have to be from the two teams that you did not start in. So Jasmine, you have to pick a Brainy Beetle and a Beautiful Butterfly, while Courtney has to pick a Beautiful Butterfly and a Brawny Beaver."

Courtney nods in understanding, while Jasmine looks more than a little concerned.

 ** ***Confessional- Courtney*****  
"Finally, a catch that doesn't completely screw me over. Sure, it limits my options a little more, but most of my supporters were on the Brawn and Beauty teams anyway."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Jasmine*****  
"Ugh, I was really hoping to have my helpers be Shawn and another Brawny Beaver. This could really mess things up for me."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

"Sha- come on, that ain't fair!" Lightning yells to the host in annoyance. "None of the Beaver's will get to play! Everyone knows Courtney will pick-"

Chris interrupts with, "That's enough out of you. We'll get to the Brawny Beavers shortly. But before that, let's get to selecting the helpers. Courtney, you're up for your first pick. I'm sure we're all waiting in anticipation."

Courtney rolls her eyes at the host, but doesn't even hesitate when she confidently announces, "DJ is my pick from the Brawny Beavers."

DJ stands up proudly and flashes a smile over to Courtney. Courtney returns it with just as much enthusiasm. They're both on the brink of tears. This moment is important to both of them, because everything's come full circle; Courtney was able to fulfill her promise.

 ** ***Confessional- Courtney*****  
"My past friendships and romantic relationships on Total Drama have failed me time and time again. But in all the time DJ and I have been friends, he hasn't failed me once. Having him by my side at the Finale... it means everything to me."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- DJ*****  
"She said all that? No, I'm not crying man, you're crying..."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

The sweet moment between the pair is cut short when Chris sarcastically says, "I'm shocked, I'm sure no one saw that coming. Anyway, Jasmine, you're up for your equally riveting first pick."

"My first pick is Shawn." Jasmine replies simply.

No one is surprised to see Shawn stand up from his own spot and rush over to join Jasmine's side. He kisses her fiercely, and she returns it with just as much intensity.

"We're gonna get you your win." Shawn whispers to her. Jasmine smiles and kisses him on the cheek as her reply.

Chris speaks up again. "Yeah, yeah, you all have such beautiful friendships and relationships. Anyway, now that that's out of way, it's time to get to the good part. Courtney, it's time to pick your second helper, and it has to be a Beautiful Butterfly."

Now's the time when Courtney looks nervous. Her eyes go straight to the pair of best friends sitting in the center of the top row of the bleachers. She looks at Leshawna, then Lindsay, and back to Leshawna. Much to her dismay, time doesn't make the answer any clearer to her.

Her saving grace comes in the form of Leshawna herself, who slyly points to Lindsay. Courtney raises an eyebrow and mouths 'You sure?,' to her former ally. Leshawna immediately shakes her head 'yes' in return.

 ** ***Confessional- Courtney*****  
"Choosing between Leshawna and Lindsay is a tough one. They're both strong competitors, and both were part of the TDI alliance. And they're my friends. But if Leshawna is really okay with it, then it makes my choice that much easier."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

"Lindsay is pick from the Beautiful Butterflies." Courtney announces, with just as much confidence as she did with DJ. No one looks more surprised by her choice than Lindsay herself. Nonetheless, she happily makes her way to DJ and Courtney- her team for the day. Leshawna looks incredibly pleased.

 ** ***Confessional- Lindsay*****  
"Wow, I totally thought Corri- er, I mean, _Courtney_ , would pick Leshawna; since she lasted longer than I did in the game. But since she did pick me, I have to prove that she made the right choice!"  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Leshawna*****  
"Of course I want to compete in the Finale! But Lindsay got eliminated before me, and I know she's been dying to compete again. I at least made it to the merge. I'm just trying to be a good friend."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Chris cuts in with, "Alright, that completes our first trio. Jasmine, you're up next. And remember, it has to be a Beautiful Butterfly."

Jasmine's eyes scan through her choices, no one too pleased with her options. Her gaze settles on Dawn, but she doesn't say anything just yet. Dawn returns the stare, but she doesn't look entirely comfortable with what Jasmine's implying. The blonde points discretely up to the only other Butterfly that makes an inkling of sense: Leshawna.

 ** ***Confessional- Dawn*****  
"Honestly, after everything I went through, it's nice to have some time to relax and watch the challenge from the sidelines. I'll help Jasmine if I need to, but I think there are more competitive Butterflies that will be better use to her."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Jasmine*****  
"My choices on the Beautiful Butterflies are rather slim. Lindsay just got picked, Sugar's obviously not an option, and Topher, Anne Maria, and Justin definitely won't give me their all. My only logical choices are Leshawna and Dawn, but Dawn seems happy to not be a part of this. Leshawna's great in challenges, but she's also one of Courtney's biggest supporters. There's gotta be a way around this."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

"Before I make my choice, can I ask a camper a question?" Jasmine asks Chris.

The host gives an indifferent shrug and replies, "Eh, sure. Just make it quick."

Jasmine takes a few steps closer to the campers that haven't been chosen yet. Her eyes go directly to the top row.

"Leshawna... if I pick you, will you promise to do your best? Even if it means competing against your alliance members?"

Leshawna looks uneasy thinking about such a request. She wants to say yes, but is also fully aware of what her loyalty means to Lindsay and Courtney. So instead she says, "... I can't just turn my back on them."

"Leshawna, please do this." A voice cuts in like a razor sharp blade. It takes a moment for Leshawna to process who the voice belonged to: Courtney.

"Wha... Courtney? Are you sure?" Leshawna asks her friend.

Courtney immediately answers. "I've never been more certain of anything. DJ and Lindsay agree."

The two aforementioned helpers nod together to emphasize Courtney's point.

"Seriously?" Leshawna says, still not fully buying it.

Lindsay interjects with, "Yes! Come on Leshawna, it'll be fun! We all get to play again!"

"You deserve this chance as much as any of us do." DJ adds in.

"I'll be competing against you guys." Leshawna reminds them.

Courtney reminds her, "You competed against DJ and I the entire time we were in teams, and we still became friends. This isn't that much different. Please... I want to compete with you all again."

The sincerity in the finalist's voice finally convinces Leshawna. With a grin on her face, she turns back to Jasmine and states, "Alright, I'll do it. And I'll give it my all."

Jasmine looks equal parts happy and relieved when she announces, "Leshawna's my second helper."

With it now being official, Leshawna wastes no time to make her way towards the couple that will be her team for the last challenge. She glances over to her former allies and gives them a nervous but content smile. They return it with the utmost sincerity.

 ** ***Confessional- Courtney*****  
"The TDI alliance was one of the only things keeping me sane while I was on the Brainy Beetles. I wouldn't have gotten to this point if it wasn't for them. So if I can give them all the chance to be a part of the Finale, even if it means Leshawna's competing against me... that's an opportunity I want to give them."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

"Alright, we officially have our two teams for the day! Courtney, DJ, and Lindsay versus Jasmine, Shawn, and Leshawna! We will begin the challenge momentarily. Jasmine, now's the time for you and your team to decide which path you'll take down the mountain. Choose wisely, you want to take advantage of the 10 minute head start!" Chris declares.

The trio forms a huddle to begin weighing their options.

"Well, we took the tree trail last time and came in first. Easy choice then?" Jasmine suggests.

To her surprise, Shawn shakes his head in disagreement. "No way. You'll tire yourself out too fast. Last challenge you only had to do the trail and then you were done. This time it's only the beginning."

Jasmine retorts, "Well, we're not taking the mine! That thing got destroyed once already; no way my claustrophobia can handle that."

"We could sled down the Winter Trail like B and Dawn did." Shawn suggests.

"With what? I doubt any bits of tree bark would fit all three of us..." Jasmine throws back.

Suddenly, Leshawna interjects with, "Take the river."

"Huh?" Jasmine and Shawn both ask.

Leshawna begins to explain. "The only reason Courtney took so long on that trail was the uphill part. She almost caught up to you after that, because that was the fastest trail downhill. And we're _only_ going downhill. Plus, if we take the same trail as them, it's less likely that they'll surpass us."

Jasmine and Shawn both look at her in a mixture of shock and awe. Not finding any cons to her analysis, Jasmine gives a menacing grin and responds, "Well, sounds like we're taking the river. Let's get some paddles."

 ** ***Confessional- Jasmine*****  
"Good to know that I picked the right team."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

As the competitors are prepping for the challenge to begin, the camera turns to the remaining campers, who are still watching from the sidelines. As it zooms in, we see Sky comforting a grumpy Lightning.

"Come on Lightning, you've been running around all season. Is sitting out one challenge really that bad?"

"Sha-yes, it is for the Lightning! I didn't even get a chance to be picked!" A distressed Lightning tells her.

"Eh, quit your whining! None of us got a chance either!" Jo reminds him. "Besides, you're just mad you lost the bet and you want to redeem yourself."

Lightning let's out a little 'tsk' before declaring, "Man, that bet was dumb anyway! It only sha-proved that Jasmine was liked. The _real_ challenge is today, and Lightning knows Courtney's gonna win!"

Jo merely waves him off and replies, "Hey, if you're down to lose $20 again, fine by me! Right Sky?"

Sky laughs at the suggestion. "Of course. I could always use more sweets."

"Psh, joke's on you! Cause you're gonna owe Lightning granola bars this time! Right Brick?"

Brick looks like he'd rather be anywhere else, having any other conversation than this one. "Hey, don't look at me! I lost $40 bucks out of the last one!"

"Yeah, but now you're with the Lightning, so you'll definitely win!" Lightning tells him.

"Do I get any say in this?" Brick asks, though he already knows the answer.

Jo instantly answers "Nope, tough luck babe! Oh and Lightning, make sure you throw in candy hearts in with our winnings this time, since you lov- OW!"

Whatever Jo was going to say was interrupted by Sky kicking her in the back. Jo is about to return the favor before Brick settles her down.

 ** ***Confessional- Jo*****  
"Yeah, Lightning told me how he accidentally said he loved Sky. I've spent this whole week teasing them about it. Those two dorks couldn't be more oblivious if they tried. But hey, not everyone can have it all like Brick and I."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Sky*****  
"Jo's a good friend, but her teasing is insufferable. I want to tell Lightning I feel the same way, but... maybe it's too soon? I just want it to be the right moment. Also, I can confirm that Jo told Brick she loved him first. But you didn't hear it from me."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Jo*****  
"Sky told you WHAT?!"  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

As the four begin debating the guidelines of the Finale bet, an overly amused Chef and Chris approach them.

Chef points to the quartet of gambling Beavers and gruffly states, "You four, come with me. We heard about your little bet last week, and we have a special assignment for you."

Sky and Brick both nod silently and stand up to join the co-host. Jo and Lightning both look like they want to argue, but follow suit anyway.

 ** ***Confessional- Brick*****  
"I just want it to be known that I did not sign up for whatever the other three got us into."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

The static fades to reveal the team of Jasmine, Shawn, and Leshawna in their canoe, ready to begin the race. Jasmine's sitting in the back, Shawn in the front, and Leshawna in the middle. Courtney, DJ, and Lindsay are standing to the side, anxiously awaiting the game to start. The sooner they begin, the sooner they can make up for lost time.

Once everyone is in position, Chris begins to speak.

"Alright campers, it's finally time to begin the challenge! On my go, Jasmine, Shawn, and Leshawna can begin their trek down the mountain. Courtney, DJ, and Lindsay will have to wait the ten minutes before they can officially begin. Got it? Good!"

There's a brief dramatic pause before Chris begins talking again, this time through the megaphone.

"Alright, Jasmine, Shawn, and Leshawna. On your mark... get set... and... GO!"

With that, the trio begins to paddle downhill with all their might. Jasmine works on steering while she gives orders to the other two.

"Leshawna, place your oar to the right... Shawn, ease up on the rowing! Keep your eyes peeled for stray branches or rocks!"

"You got it girl!" Leshawna responds, quick to pick up on the directions. Shawn proves to be just as helpful. The three are working like a well-oiled machine, and continue to do so as the minutes roll by.

Meanwhile, DJ and Lindsay are quickly learning that the toughest challenge they'll have all day is keeping Courtney calm. They're currently sitting in their own canoe, waiting for the okay from Chris to start. Lindsay is sitting in the middle, DJ in the back, and Courtney in the front.

"Can we go _now_?! How long has it been? There's no way it hasn't been ten minutes yet!" The finalist shouts over to the host.

But Chris shakes his head 'no' as he replies. "Well, actually, it's only been _seven_ minutes. Three more to go!"

Lindsay soothingly says, "It's alright Courtney! We'll have soooo many chances to make up the time!"

"Yeah! Not to mention you've had this trail before! You'll know the way better than any of us!" DJ adds in.

Courtney lets out a terrifying growl before mumbling, "Just... argh! DJ, go to the middle. Lindsay, take the front. _I'm_ doing the steering." She hesitates for a moment before also grunting out a " _Please_ ".

DJ and Lindsay comply without any questions, though the side eye they give each other shows their true concern for their friend.

 ** ***Confessional- DJ*****  
"Courtney worked really hard to get to this point, and she had a total change in attitude along the way. I just hope she doesn't revert back to her old self for the Finale. If anything could be her undoing, it'd be that."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

About halfway down the mountain, Jasmine's team finds themselves slowing down as the river's current becomes less intense. They're taking deeper strides with their oars as they struggle to get back to their original pace.

"Man, I never thought rowing could get so tiring!" Shawn whines.

"Seriously, how did they even do this a first time?!" Leshawna lets out a huff.

After another minute or so of intense arm work, the rapids begin to pick up again.

"Phew, finally!" Jasmine sighs in relief.

Suddenly, Chris' voice can be heard through the intercoms.

"Well, we've officially reached the ten minute mark! Which means Courtney, DJ, and Lindsay are officially in the race!"

A voice that they easily recognize as Courtney's can be heard saying ' _fucking finally_ ' before the intercoms turn off.

Jasmine's eyes go wide as she processes the news. "Come on mates, keep rowing! We gotta pick up the pace!"

An uncertain Leshawna asks, "Girl, are you sure? This water's pretty fast already..."

Jasmine immediately interjects with, "I know, but we need all the power we can get!"

"Alright..." An unconvinced Leshawna says as she places her paddle back in the water. Shawn and Jasmine follow suit. The oar's contact with the rapids instantly throws them off balance. Not even 30 seconds go by before the canoe flips over, taking the trio with them.

Jasmine's head pops out of the water first, followed by Leshawna and Shawn shortly after. Everyone looks surprised, but relatively unharmed. They're all gripping onto the canoe as they float down the river.

"Everyone alright?!" Jasmine asks.

"Yup!" Leshawna answers.

Shawn shouts, "Yeah! But I don't think we'll be able to get back in the canoe with this current."

"Well..." a nervous Jasmine tells them, "hold on tight then."

The trio does just that, gripping onto the canoe like their lives depend on it (which it very well may). Luckily, they don't have to hold on for much longer before they reach the bottom of the mountain.

"Land! Finally!" Shawn chants as he begins to kiss the grass in gratitude.

Jasmine's quick to pull her boyfriend back to his feet. "No time! We gotta get to the stage!"

Jasmine runs in the direction of the stage at full speed; not even acknowledging the fact that she's still soaking wet. Leshawna and Shawn follow closely behind, though decidedly less enthusiastic than the finalist.

When they reach their destination, they find two sets of three boxes; each set placed on opposite sides of the stage. A large set of keys are hung up on hooks beside the boxes; and when they get close enough, they can read a contestant's name on each of the keys. A sign that reads 'JASMINE' stands on the left side of the stage, while the one on the right says 'COURTNEY'.

Jasmine and her team make their way to their assigned section. They find a note attached to the smallest box. Jasmine promptly grabs it and reads its contents aloud.

" _Congratulations, you have advanced to the next round. In honor of our quiz challenge in the Final Six, your team has to answer three questions before you can move on. Each box has a statement written on it that applies to a camper or campers. Use the key or keys to unlock the box. When you have all three boxes unlocked, you may move onto the next round. Good luck!"_

As soon as she's done reading the instructions, Jasmine makes her way to the smallest box, Leshawna and Shawn right behind her. The box has one lock on it, and a statement written in white paint.

" _The first female to be voted out in a non-double elimination."_ Shawn says aloud. His face scrunches up as he tries to remember the elimination order."

"That was Lindsay right? All I can remember before that are double eliminations." Leshawna asks.

Jasmine shakes her head 'no'. "It might of been Eva, but I can't remember which one was first."

Shawn picks up the keys that read ' _Eva_ ' and ' _Lindsay_ ' and says with a shrug, "Might as well try both."

He puts Lindsay's key in first, only for it not to budge once it's inside the lock. When they try Eva's key, however, they find success. The box opens easily.

"Yes!" Jasmine says as she goes to the second one. "Come on, we gotta hurry, Courtney and them should be done soon!"

As it turns out, Courtney and her team are just now finishing their excursion.

"Stroke! Stroke! And... stop!" Courtney shouts at the top of her lungs to Lindsay and DJ, who both look completely winded from their efforts. The brunette jumps onto land the moment the canoe comes to a standstill. Lindsay and DJ take more time, still trying to regain some of their strength.

"Come _on_ you guys, get the lead out! We have to catch up to them _now_!" Courtney yells to the winded pair. The fire that's still in her eyes worries DJ to the point where he feels he has to say something. Just as Courtney turns to head to the stage, DJ grabs her by the wrist.

"Courtney, we care about you, but Lindsay and I aren't your lackeys. You can't start freaking out just because it's the Finale. We'll do everything we can to help you win, but please, you have to calm down!"

At first, Courtney looks nothing short of royally pissed at DJ for holding them back even longer. But then she sees the worried looks that DJ and Lindsay are sporting, and that makes her rethink a few things.

She steps out of DJ's grasp and replies, "You're right. I'm... I'm sorry to you both. I just really want to win for once."

With this, DJ and Lindsay both let out a sigh of relief. They then grab a dejected Courtney by the hand and begin to tug her towards their next spot.

"We forgive you! Now come on, let's go get you that million!" Lindsay tells her. Courtney smiles and promptly follows her team to the stage.

 ** ***Confessional- Courtney*****  
"DJ's right- I can't start freaking out like I used to, especially during the Finale. I've worked so hard to better myself, and I'm not throwing that all away now!"  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

The trio approaches the stage, relieved to see that Jasmine, Leshawna, and Shawn are still there. However, their relief is short lived. Jasmine appears to have unlocked the final box, and she and her team scramble off to the next destination.

Courtney makes her way to her station, and reads the instructions out loud before promptly reaching for the first box.

"Grab me Eva's key; she's the answer to the first one." Courtney states without even reading the question to DJ and Lindsay.

DJ diligently follows instructions and hands the key to Courtney, who unlocks the box without so much as a second glance.

Once the first box is unlocked, Courtney moves onto the second one. She looks rather confused by what it says, and she chooses to read it out loud.

"What the... ' _The only two campers to dive twice in the first challenge_ '?"

"Oooo, that's me and Leshawna! Remember, because Topher and Justin wouldn't jump!" Lindsay declares excitedly.

DJ hands over the keys that say ' _Lindsay_ ' and ' _Leshawna_ ' to Courtney, who makes quick work with them. The second box unlocks, much to their delight.

Courtney grabs the final box and says, "Thank god you knew that one, Lindsay. Let's see... this one reads; ' _The three campers who received the most elimination votes over the course of the game._ '"

"We had a question like this during the original challenge. Scarlett was the answer then." DJ reminds them as he reaches for the first key.

Courtney nods in agreement. "And Sugar's definitely surpassed her since then. But who's the third person?"

"Maybe Sky?" DJ suggests. He starts to reach for her key before Courtney interjects.

"No, wait! It's B! He got four votes each time he was eliminated!"

"You sure?"

"Definitely. Give me B's key."

DJ does as requested of them, and hands Courtney the three keys. She places them in the locks, and lets out an elated squeal when they come undone.

"Come on, let's go to the next one!" Lindsay tells her joyous companions. The reminder brings them back to reality quickly.

Meanwhile, Jasmine and her team have made it to the lake. They find themselves scanning along the waters before a familiar voice ends the search.

"Sha-hey guys! Long time no see!" Lightning waves them over. He and Sky are standing in the water on separate platforms, a fair distance away from each other. They are each gripping an oversized baton in their hands. To the right of both of them stands a second platform, with a second baton laying on top of it.

"What is all this?" A weary Shawn questions.

Lightning early answers, "Sha-damn, it's a long story! Ya see, last week we made-"

His explanation is cut short by Sky. "Lightning! Read the script!"

"Oh right! My bad!" Lightning says as he takes a piece of paper out of his pants pocket. It's a little damp, but he can still make out most of the words.

"Um... _For you next task, one person from your team must defeat either Lightning or Sky in the baton face off. To help settle a bet, Lightning will be facing off against Jasmine's team, and Sky will face off against Courtney's. You can choose anyone from your team to fight."_

 ** ***Confessional- Chris*****  
"Yeah, we were gonna have the interns face off against Jasmine and Courtney... but then we realized these idiots would do it for free. It was an easy decision."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

An annoyed Jasmine yells back to them, "Are you guys seriously making bets again?!"

This time, it's Sky that answers. "Yup, and Lightning lost last time. But I'd pick who you want to face him soon, because I'm sure Courtney's going to breeze through the quiz portion."

Jasmine immediately exclaims, "Shit, you're right! Who should go?"

"Well, you're taller than Lightning. You have a better chance than me." Shawn tells her.

Jasmine retorts, "I didn't even make it past the first round in that challenge, and Lightning _won_."

"I'll go." Leshawna offers.

"You sure?" Jasmine asks for clarification.

"Yeah, I'm ready to show Lightning who would've won the challenge if _I_ was still there." Leshawna proudly proclaims as she heads towards the water for her face off.

Leshawna leaps into the lake and easily swims towards Lightning. Once she reaches her platform, she picks up her baton and settles into a fighting stance.

"Ready to lose?" She asks her opponent.

Lightning smirks back and replies, "Sha-bring it on!"

 ** ***Confessional- Sky & Lightning*****  
"Sure, neither of us want to be the reason one of our friends loses the game." Sky tells the camera.

"But if Lightning and Sky are both facing off against them, then it's an even match! And we can settle the bet, so it's a win-win!" Lightning adds.

"Well, it's definitely not the worst plan Chris has come up with." Sky reasons.  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Leshawna takes her first swing at Lightning, which the jock expertly blocks. He throws in a hit of his own, but Leshawna manages to dodge it. The pair go back and forth for awhile; the intensity building with every new swing.

While no one's surprised to find that Leshawna and Lightning are both skilled, it's pretty shocking to see just how evenly matched they are.

The fighting goes on like that for awhile; a continuous rally, with little progress being made. Everyone's so focused on the fight, they don't even notice Courtney's team approaching.

"What the-?" A confused DJ begins to ask.

The sounds of her old teammate's voice snaps Sky back into focus.

"Oh, hey guys!" She shouts to the newly arrived trio. She quickly repeats the same instructions that Lightning read to other team.

Before Courtney can give her opinion on who should fight, Lindsay's already rushing towards the docks.

"Are you sure Lindsay?! Sky's a pretty good fighter!" Courtney yells to the blonde.

Lindsay doesn't even answer at first; she just jumps into the lake cannonball style. Once her head emerges from the water, she hollers to the others, "Don't worry! I like, totally got this!"

As Lindsay swims over the platform across from Sky, DJ and Courtney give other a side glance that's laced with worry.

"Well, it's not like we can pull her out of the water now. Might as well give it a shot." DJ reasons with her.

Courtney only responds with a grunt of uncertainty.

Lindsay reaches the platform, and seems to have no problems pulling herself up onto it. However, as soon as she gets into a fighting stance, she's knocked back in the water by Sky.

"Hey, I didn't even get a second to think!" Lindsay whines when she emerges from the lake.

Sky shrugs and replies, "Sorry Lindsay, but those are the rules. Once you're standing, it's fair game."

An annoyed Lindsay pulls herself up again, this time eyeing Sky more wearily as she gets ready. Before she can resume the fight, a sudden giant splash of water rocks the platforms. The unexpected movement causes her to lose her balance and fall back in.

"GOD DAMMNIT!" Courtney shouts from the sidelines.

The wave even throws Sky off her guard, though she's able to kneel into a more secure position to save herself from falling in.

"What was that?" She asks, her voice giving away her fright.

The answer comes in the form of a 'Woohoo!', from Jasmine and Shawn. Everyone else redirects their attention to the battle between Leshawna and Lightning. Leshawna's still standing proudly, holding her baton over her head as a sign of victory.

Lightning's treading water, slightly taken aback by his loss. The look of confusion soon turns to one of admiration and acceptance.

"Congrats girl. You and your team can head to the Mess Hall now. Oh, and good job beatin' the Lightning!"

Leshawna smiles back to the jock before she jumps in herself and swims back to her team.

"Leshawna, that was amazing!" Jasmine praises.

Leshawna nods proudly in acknowledgment before telling her, "Thanks, but there's no time! We gotta get to the Mess Hall before Lindsay finishes up."

The leading trio swiftly heads to the Mess Hall without another moment's hesitation. Meanwhile, Lindsay regains her balance for the third time, sporting a look of confidence that wasn't there before.

Back on land, Courtney seems to have calmed down considerably, much to DJ's relief.

"I think she's got it this time." DJ assures her. Courtney simply shakes her head in agreement, too anxious to do anything else.

To her credit, Sky's doing an miraculous job maintaining her stamina despite having to stand on the platform for God knows how long. Lightning can't help watching from the sidelines in awe of his girlfriend's strength. But Lindsay's newfound determination seems to slowly take over. Every hit Sky makes, Lindsay strikes back that much harder. With every swing, Sky's blocks get weaker. In a moment of distraction, Lindsay's finally able to get a good hit in Sky's stomach. It's the hit that does her in, and the loud splash confirms it.

Barely a second goes by before Sky's head peaks out of the water. She seems content with this result.

"Congratulations," she states to Lindsay. "Team Courtney can go to the Mess Hall now."

Lindsay gives a curt nod in understanding before she swims back to Courtney and DJ. No time is wasted in simple pleasantries; they run in the direction of the Mess Hall as soon as Lindsay's back on land.

"Sorry about the earlier mess ups." Lindsay finally says once they've reached the dining hall. But Courtney waves her off with a smile and kind words.

"Don't be, you did great."

DJ opens the door to the Mess Hall to find Chef standing at the center. When he glances around, he's relieved to find that Jasmine's team hasn't left.

"They're still here!" He informs Courtney and Lindsay, who are now right behind him.

At the sound of DJ's voice, Jasmine, Shawn, and Leshawna all turn to get a look at the other team. Jasmine and Leshawna are standing up, with Shawn sitting down in between them. His face is as red as a tomato, and he appears to be in some serious pain.

Before anyone can ask what's wrong, Chef speaks up.

"Looks like the losers finally caught up. Now, listen closely to the task, because I'm only gonna read this one more time... ' _In honor of the eating challenge that led Sky to her Invincibility win, one contestant from your team must eat a ghost pepper, and go thirty seconds without drinking milk.'"_

Shawn goes to grab another pepper, only to push it away the moment it gets too close to his lips. On the other side, DJ puffs out his chest and grabs a bucket of peppers and a pitcher from milk from Chef.

"Are you sure DJ?" Courtney asks.

DJ nods, picks up a pepper, and pushes the pitcher of milk to the side.

"Time me." He tells her in a deadpanned but determined voice.

Back on the opposite side, Shawn gives in once more and takes a gulp of milk, much to Jasmine and Leshawna's disappointment.

"How long was that?" He asks his teammates.

Leshawna looks at their timer and reads, "14 seconds. Well, it was better than the last three tries."

"Maybe we should switch out? I'm sure you need a break..." A scared Jasmine suggests, but Shawn is quick to interject.

"No! Jasmine, please, I got this!"

Suddenly, Chef's voice comes out of nowhere to announce, "Congratulations DJ! Team Courtney can move onto the balance beam!"

DJ and the two ladies cheer in excitement as they head out the door. It's the first time in the challenge that they're in the lead, and Courtney is ecstatic.

 ** ***Confessional- DJ*****  
"I don't do gross food, but Mama's been known to throw some ghost peppers into her cooking every once in awhile. So I figured that if anyone's gonna be good at this part, it's me. And I was right!"  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Courtney's team makes it to the balance beam in no time at all. However, they are definitely surprised by what they find.

Facing them with menacing grins on their faces is Jo and Brick, who are each armed with some type of weapon. Upon closer inspection, they recognize it as the paintball guns they used in the Saboteur challenge.

Jo greets them with, "Hey, maggots! Ready for your next task?"

"No." DJ answers without thinking. From the looks of Courtney and Lindsay, it's easy to tell that they share his sentiments.

An unsympathetic Jo replies, "Well, too bad! Anyway, here's the task... ' _In honor of the Heroes and Villains week, each team will have to stand on the balance beam used in that challenge for five minutes. And in honor of the Saboteur challenge, Jo and Brick will try to inconvenience you as much as possible by shooting you with paintball guns. Brick will be shooting Jasmine's team, while Courtney's team will face Jo. All team members participate, timer resets if a team member falls_.'"

"Wait, can we get Bryson instead? He seems a lot nicer!" Lindsay practically begs.

Jo yells back,"Nope, we got a bet to settle! Now get up on that balance beam so we can get started!"

Meanwhile, Shawn finally completes his task and successfully eats the ghost pepper. He, Jasmine, and Leshawna waste no time in running towards their next task.

 ** ***Confessional- Shawn*****  
"Well, I finally got through the challenge, but I'm pretty sure I lost all my taste buds in the process."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

"Sorry Jasmine, I really let you down there." A defeated Shawn admits.

Jasmine offers him a kind smile and a kiss on the cheek in return.

"Don't be sorry, you did fine. Neither of us were really up for that challenge."

Leshawna adds in, "Yeah, I definitely wasn't feeling that either. I'm sure we can make up time here."

The trio enters the balance beam area to find Courtney's team barely standing as they are pelted with an onslaught of paintball pellets, courtesy of Jo. Brick stands next to his girlfriend, looking rather terrified at just how accurate her shots are.

DJ takes a pellet to the gut that does him in, and tumbles off the beam. He takes a deep sigh and lays on his back for awhile, like he's processing what just happened.

"Damn it, we were close that time." Courtney mumbles to herself before she looks down to her friend and asks, "DJ, are you okay?"

DJ gives her an unenthusiastic thumbs up. "Just peachy."

"Hey look, Leshawna's here!" Lindsay points down to her friend.

"Shit. DJ, you have to get up! We might lose the lead." Courtney pleads.

DJ complies after that, though it's clear the last thing he wants to do is face Jo's wrath again. Jo nudges Brick to go address the newly arrived team.

Brick quickly redirects his focus to Jasmine's team, and reads them the instructions. By the time Jasmine, Shawn, and Leshawna make it up to the balance beam, Courtney's team is about three minutes into their latest attempt.

"Alright mates, if we can pass this on the first try, we'll be able to close the gap." Jasmine reminds them.

"Better hold on tight then." Leshawna responds with a determined look on her face.

Their timer starts and Brick begins firing off his paintball gun. However, compared to Jo's shots, his are rather lackluster. His aim isn't accurate, and he leaves more space in between each shot.

Jo seems to notice the contrast between the two.

"Brick, what the hell? You were a cadet, shouldn't your shots be a, ya know, _better_?"

"Well, I don't want to hurt them!" Brick reasons back to her.

"That's the fucking point!" A baffled Jo retorts.

"Hey, we got to five minutes! We can go now, right?!" Lindsay asks as she points to their timer. Sure enough, a red '5:00' is blinking in front of them.

Jo rolls her eyes, but gives in. "Sure, whatever. Go to the fire pit."

They don't need any more prompting than that, and honestly they're all still a tad frightened of Jo anyway. The distance from the balance beam to the fire pit is fairly short, so they make it there in a matter of minutes.

Next to the fire pit stands a sign with their instructions. DJ reads it aloud to them.

" _Get ready campers, we're almost at the end! In remembrance of the Hide-and-Seek challenge, your team must dig around the fire pit in search of one of the medallions we've hidden. The medallion will include instructions to your next location and something to help you once you're there."_

Courtney's digging around the pit as soon as DJ's done reading the instructions. Her two teammates follow right after her, though they seem to have reservations about getting so filthy. Their brunette leader has no such qualms about it, and is digging with as much vigor as she did the first time they had this challenge.

A few minutes pass by with little success, much to all of their frustrations. Any confidence Courtney had is crushed the moment they hear footsteps coming towards them. She looks up once to see that sure enough, Jasmine's team has caught up and destroyed their lead.

Leshawna skims over the sign quickly and shouts to the other two, "We gotta dig for a medallion! The next steps are written on it!"

Jasmine and Shawn nod in compliance, and soon enough all six campers are digging around. Leshawna's searching through spots that Courtney's team already covered, while the other two are digging up new areas.

After another couple minutes of hopelessness, a voice shouts, "I got it! Let's go!"

Courtney's heart stops when she hears it. It's a male voice, but it wasn't the voice she wanted to hear. It was Shawn's.

Jasmine, on the other hand, is elated to hear that her boyfriend pulled through. He hands her the medallion, and then her team begins to run off in the direction of the old campsite.

"Shawn, you rock!" Jasmine yells as they continue their trek.

Her boyfriend nervously replies. "Well, I had to make up my mess up at the eating challenge. But anyway, what does it say?"

Jasmine glances down at the medallion and reads its inscription to her teammates.

" _Congrats, you found the medallion! Your second to last challenge is simple- make a campfire that's strong enough to boil water. Taped to this medallion is a single match to help you out. But beware- once the match is gone, you're on your own. After you complete this task, head to the cliff to make your final dive to the finish line. Good luck campers._ "

Jasmine looks further down to see the match that is indeed taped to the recovered medallion. She grips the prize close to her as they get closer and closer to their destination.

"Alright, let's pick it up if we can! We finally got the lead back, and I don't want to lose it!"

Back at the fire pit, Courtney is getting more and more agitated at the task. She can slowly feel any chance of regaining the lead slipping through her fingers.

As if he can feel the aggravation in the air, DJ, without even looking up, says, "Calm down Courtney, we'll find it."

Courtney's eyes begin to go wide with panic. "And what if we don't, DJ? What if this is as far as I get? What if all I can ever hope to be is just second best? Close but never close enough?"

DJ can practically hear the heartbreak in her voice. It becomes all the more clear to him and Lindsay that this win means more than just a million dollars to her.

He crawls over to her and says calmly, "Relax for a second. You won't find anything if you're panicking like this."

Courtney begrudgingly complies to DJ's request, but the panic only subsides a little. She can still feel the time slipping by her.

Lindsay begins to make her way over to them as well. "You know you like, mean way more to us than this challenge, right? Us and Leshawna, and probably Star and Thunder and Jocelyn too... we all wanna stay friends after this."

Courtney smiles slightly, and lets out a sigh of relief as she drops her hands back into the dirt.

"I know. Believe me, it's more than I could have ever hoped for. But I still..." Courtney begins to say, but stops once she feels something in the ground. She looks down to examine it, and her eyes go wide in shock.

"Did you find it?" DJ asks in a teasing manner.

"Maybe." A slightly embarrassed Courtney mumbles. She stands up immediately afterwards, medallion tight in her hands, and starts to jog in the direction that their opponents went earlier.

"Come on you guys! Challenge now, feelings later!"

Lindsay and DJ glance at each other and chuckle before they go sprinting after her.

 ** ***Confessional- Courtney*****  
"Yeah, I definitely picked the right team."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

By now, Jasmine, Shawn, and Leshawna have made it to the campsite. There's two separate fire pits set up on opposite sides of each other. Next to each of them lays a small metal pot filled about halfway with water. Jasmine makes her way over to the campsite on her left, and immediately gets to work.

"Leshawna, find us some kindling. Small sticks, birch bark, and things like that. No grass though, that'll just make smoke. Shawn, help Leshawna and work on the structure. I'll grab some bigger sticks and meet you back here shortly."

Everyone complies to their assigned tasks easily, and by the ten minute mark, the team has a teepee structure made to create the fire.

A proud Jasmine lights up their single match as she approaches the base of their creation. "Alright mates, time to light this baby up."

She brings the match to the kindling, delighted to see the flame take. However, not even a minute later, a gust of wind makes the flame die out.

"Well, that was anti-climatic." Leshawna observes.

Jasmine lets out a groan in frustration before she grabs two nearby sticks, holding them in an 'X' position.

"Looks like we're doing this the old fashioned way." She says as she begins to run the two sticks together.

At long last, Courtney's team has made it to the campsite. She's relieved to see that Jasmine's still there, and by the looks of it, has lost her match. They run over to the opposite station to begin their efforts.

"Let's get a structure together fast! It doesn't have to be good, it just has to last long enough to boil water. We have to hurry!" Courtney yells out.

Sure enough, the trio manages to get their structure together in about half the time the other team did. Granted, it's nowhere near as impressive as what Jasmine's team created, but their hoping it's enough to get the job done.

"Lindsay, set the pot on top- _gently_. DJ, cover this side to block out the wind. I'm about to light the match."

DJ easily complies to his task and huddles himself around the edge of their precious structure. A nervous Lindsay is a little shaky at first, but overall successful in placing the pot over the top without having everything collapse underneath her.

With everyone in position, Courtney lights the match. It immediately takes to the fire, and only grows from there. However, when Courtney looks to the other side of camp, she can see that Jasmine has also made a successful flame. Their fire begins to grow at an even faster rate, due to the impressive structure.

Courtney's so focused on the other side that she doesn't even hear her team at first.

"Courtney, look! It's boiling!" Lindsay squeals.

Courtney looks down to see that their pot is in fact boiling water, meaning they've completed the task. Unable to control her excitement, she begins to squeal along with Lindsay.

While equally excited, DJ remains focused and motions for his team to get a move on.

"Come on, we're almost done! We just gotta do the cliff dive!"

"And then it's the finish line..." Courtney says to herself more than anyone else. With a newly determined look on her face, she grabs both of her teammates by the wrist and tugs them towards the exit.

As soon as Courtney's team is out of sight, Jasmine's team finally manages to get their water boiling. They sprint off soon after, driven by a need to catch up to their opponents.

"This path is shorter than the one they took, I remember it from the Brawny Beavers." Jasmine tells them as they sprint through the familiar path.

"We should be able to make up the lead in no time!" Shawn declares.

As of now, the screen divides into two to show both teams making their way towards the cliff. At first it's hard to tell who's closer to their destination, as the scenery looks too similar.

When the scene finally changes, it doesn't go to the cliff. Instead it shows the finish line that's on the beach. The campers not participating in the challenge are standing on opposite sides of the banner. Lightning, Sky, Jo, and Brick have all returned from their obstacle course assignments to see the big reveal. Everyone (with the exception of Scarlett and Sugar) looks both anxious and excited to find out who the winner is. Chef and Chris are in the center of it all, sharing a pair of binoculars between them.

"Do you see anyone yet?" Chris asks Chef, the current holder of the binoculars.

Chef shakes his head. "No, not yet... wait! I see someone!"

The campers all start asking for the identity of the newly arrived contestants. Unfortunately, without the binoculars, they can't see from that far away.

Chef continues to state his observations to everyone. "Yep, I see three people, they're heading up the cliff now. I think it's..."

"Hey, announcing things is my job! Let me see those!" Chris commands as he rips the binoculars from Chef's hands. Once his eyes adjust to the device, he lets out a chuckle.

"Well Chef, it looks like you were right about this one. They're about to dive now. But they better hurry, because I can see the second team about to head up the cliff."

Everyone can see the outlines of a trio at the top, but it's too difficult to make out exactly who it is. They all hold hands as they take their final jump into the lake. By the time they hit the water and begin to swim to shore, the other team still hasn't made it to the top of the cliff.

Immediately after the jump, Chris springs into action. "Alright everyone, make some space! The winner will get here any minute now!"

"Let me see those!" Dawn requests of Chris as she stretches out her hand for the binoculars. Seeing as he no longer needs them, he carelessly tosses them to her.

It takes a moment for Dawn to get used to the equipment, but once it does, her jaw drops in shock.

"Oh my god." She says in disbelief.

"What?" Asks Eva, who's standing right next to her.

"She actually did it."

Before Eva can ask for her to elaborate, Chris' voice reels her in.

"Alright campers, this is it- the winner is reaching the shore now! And the winner, of Total Drama: Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty, is..."

Everyone's eyes immediately dart to the water, ready to see the winner emerge. They finally do, with her two teammates close behind her. Once she's out of the water, she sprints to the finish line; the one she's been dreaming about since her first season. When she finally does cross, she sinks to her knees and begins to cry. They're tears of joy, relief, and overwhelming emotion.

And to make it all the more official, Chris calls out her name.

"Courtney!"

The campers, Chris, and Chef begin to holler their applause for the well-deserved winner of what's been an incredibly emotional season. Confetti and glitter go flying everywhere, not that Courtney can see any of it. She's still crouching down, letting the tears flow from her eyes.

DJ and Lindsay finally catch up to her and pull her up from her position. Once she can stand on her own, she pulls her teammates into an intense bear hug.

"We did it! We won! Oh my god, is this real? DJ, Lindsay... it's happening!" Courtney begins to ramble off to them. DJ lifts both women off of their feet to show them his excitement. When he places them down he looks Courtney in the eyes and speaks in an overjoyed tone.

"Congratulations Courtney! You deserve it, all of it."

Before Courtney can reply, Lindsay pulls her towards the crowd so she can mingle with the rest of the campers. Most of them offer some kind words, even those that would have rather seen Jasmine win.

Speaking of Jasmine, she finally makes it to the finish, with Leshawna and Shawn beside her. At first it's clear that she's disheartened by the results. However, once she sees the celebration, and how happy Courtney is, she decides that second place isn't _so_ bad.

Courtney runs up to her as soon as she catches her eye.

"Jasmine! I'm sorry that... well, I'm not really sorry, but... well you know. Are you okay?"

Jasmine pulls her into an embrace tight enough to rival the one she gave her team earlier. When she lets go, she smiles even more to show Courtney that all is well.

"Absolutely. It's like I told you; if I had to lose, I'm happy it's to you. Congratulations."

Courtney smiles back, and doesn't hesitate to bring Jasmine with her to greet everyone.

Of to the sidelines, we see an irritated Jo and a content Brick. However, even Jo doesn't look too upset with the outcome. The hardest part comes when she hands over her money- the symbol of her loss.

"Here's your stupid 20 bucks. I didn't want it anyway."

Brick eagerly accepts it with a cocky expression on his face. "Thanks. I'll use it to buy your 3-month anniversary gift."

Jo looks more disgusted now than when she had to hand over the money. "Hell no, we're not turning into that couple that celebrates every month we're together."

"Jo, we're totally that couple."

"No we're not".

"Yes we are."

Jo gives him a light tap on the shoulder to stop the banter. "Stop embarrassing me, Brick-for-Brains."

Brick gives his defiance in the form of a kiss on the cheek. "You love it."

"Maybe." Jo mumbles, though the blush on her face gives the real answer. Brick turns her head to face him, leaning in to give her an actual kiss. But before the contact is made, the least subtle person they know interrupts it.

"Sha-Bam! Lightning wins the bet! I told you Courtney would win." Lightning taunts. Sky is right beside him, rolling her eyes in a lighthearted manner.

Jo shoves Brick away from her so that she can face her friend full on. "Yeah, yeah, shut up Brightning. Sky and I got the jury vote right first."

"Yeah, but Lightning got the winner right, which is better! Right Sky?"

"Let's just call it a tie." Sky says in an easygoing tone.

Lightning looks like he wants to argue about it, but can't find it in him to go against his girlfriend's wishes. "Argh, fine! But you still owe me granola bars!

"How about an actual dinner, since we're finally getting off the island." Sky slyly suggests in an attempt to flirt.

Her boyfriend, not getting the hint, replies, "Na, Lightning really wants granola bars."

Jo gives him a swat upside the head. "Lightning, you idiot, she's asking you out on a date."

A shocked Lightning answers back, "Sha-wait, really? Well then, Lightning accepts!"

"You're ridiculous." Sky tells him with a chuckle.

Lightning pulls his girlfriend closer to his side as he gives her a kiss on the top of her head. "Yeah, but you sha-love me."

"I do. I really do. Come on, let's go congratulate Courtney." Sky tells him before she heads off to see the winner. Lightning, both shocked and in awe of her words, eagerly follows her.

 ** ***Confessional- Shawn*****  
"Final thoughts? Well, you all know I'm team Jasmine, but congratulations to Courtney. No matter what, they both deserved to be there. I'm kind of bummed I wasn't here for most of the season, but I'm happy I got to support my girlfriend along the way. Sometimes the best thing you can do is be a helping hand to the ones that you love."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Dawn & B*****  
"We didn't really do much in the Finale, but it was nice to cheer on the sidelines for both women like I said I would. I think B and I gave it our all throughout the season, and we proved that we were indeed forces to be reckoned with. We reached our goal in our own unique way." Dawn says contently.

B nods in agreement, signing off with a thumbs up and a shy smile.  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Jo & Brick*****  
"Well, this season definitely could've used more of us." Jo admits.

"I think they got enough of us in the first few episodes." Brick teases.

Jo gives her boyfriend a nudge. "Maybe. But if this was how I had to go out, I can't say I'm too upset about it."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Leshawna & Lindsay*****  
"Yeah, neither of us won the game. But we had a crazy time while we were here." Leshawna tells the camera.

"And we got some great friends out of it, which is even better than the million!" Lindsay exclaims.

"It definitely is. But hey, if the Ridonculous Race is doing another season... just remember what a fabulous duo we make." Leshawna says with a playful smirk.  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- DJ*****  
"Man, it's been one heck of a ride. I still can't believe half the things that happened. But my best friend won, I made it to the Final Six, met some great people, and gained a little more confidence in myself. If that's not a happy ending, then I don't know what is."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Lightning & Sky*****  
"When we started the season, all either of us wanted was the million dollar prize. And maybe a little bit of redemption." Sky says.

Lightning nods vigorously in agreement. "Sha-yeah! Lightning was all about the win! But... Lightning likes what he got better. A lot better."

Sky tucks her hand into his and leans into her boyfriend's side. She then turns her head to face him with a lovestruck look on her face.

"So much better."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Jasmine*****  
"Well, I didn't win the season. But I'm still proud of my gameplay, right until the very end. I mean, how many other campers can say they enjoyed their time here as much as I did? I started with the best team, won an Invincibility challenge, and controlled a large part of the game! This was the experience of a lifetime, and I'm grateful for every part of it. Congratulations to Courtney, because she totally deserves it- but she's not the only one that feels like she won."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

 ** ***Confessional- Courtney*****  
"You know, Total Drama used to be a sore spot for me. It felt like every season, things just got worse and worse. And some of it was my fault, and some of it just seemed unfair. But this season I decided to make some changes, and it made all the difference in the long run. I was competitive, but not controlling; emotional, but not obsessive; imperfect, but not villainous. I didn't have any romantic relationships, but I had friendships that meant so much more than that. My time on the show wasn't perfect. Then again, neither am I- and I wouldn't have it any other way. This is more than just a win to me- it's everything."  
 ** ***Confessional Ends*****

Chris brings Courtney to the center of the dock, with all of the other campers forming a ring around her. Chef places a crown on her head and a sash on her shoulder. Another confetti cannon goes off, along with the roaring applause in the background. Chris finally hands her what she's waited five seasons to receive; the metal suitcase with the million dollar prize. She begins to tear up again as soon as the case is in her hands, and grabs Chris and Chef into a tight hug that they can't seem to wiggle their way out of. When she finally does release them, DJ runs over to her to hoist her on his shoulders. Soon enough, everyone's crowding around them; cheering for the season's well deserved winner. Courtney can't think of a time where she was ever this happy.

The celebration doesn't stop, but the camera does eventually turn to Chris, so that he give his final speech of the season.

"Well folks, this is how it ends; with Courtney as the official winner of the season. 21 campers, 19 episodes, and a whole bunch of drama later, this season is officially coming to a close! I'm Chris McLean, signing off for the final time, on Total Drama: Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty!"

 **•** ** **End of Episode Nineteen•****

* * *

 ** **Well, this is it. Over 180,000 words later, I can finally announce that Courtney is the winner of Total Drama: Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty. What started out as a couple of doodles I did for kicks has turned into full fledged, completed story that I am so unbelievably proud of (also, kind of surprised that I actually finished). I really hope you loved the Finale, and the way everything was tied together. To have some of you compare it to canon was honestly the most heartwarming thing I could have asked for. Before I go on, I just want to thank you all for your support of the story, especially those that reviewed every chapter. You guys are the best!****

 ** **There are several plot points I want to address, so I'm going to divide this analysis up into sections so that I can go over each one.****

 **•** ** **Helpers: I hope you all enjoyed the helpers that I decided on. I know most of you voted for Lightning and Sky, so I do feel a little bad that I didn't do that. To be honest, it was so tempting to scrape this idea and have Lightning and Sky be the second helpers, but that would've just made the Finale so heavily about the Brawny Beavers that I couldn't bring myself to do it. With the amount of intense development that Sky and Lightning went through during the merge, it can be easy to forget just how important Lindsay and Leshawna were in the first half of the story (especially to Courtney). Those two ran the Beautiful Butterflies, and were essential members to the TDI alliance. To not have them play a significant part in the Finale would have been a great disservice to both characters. Also, it was a personal head canon of mine that Leshawna is the only contestant that could've beaten Lightning in that baton face off, so I'm kind of happy I got to make that a reality as well.****

 ** **As for DJ and Shawn, we all knew they were going to be chosen, but that doesn't make their roles any less important. Sure, they both had their highs and lows, but at the end of the day they were Courtney and Jasmine's biggest support systems. I know Shawn wasn't in most of the story due to his early elimination, but I can't imagine him as anything less than a supportive boyfriend to Jasmine, even when all he can do is watch the episodes and cheer her on. While Lightning and Sky's relationship was my favorite arc to write in this story, DJ and Courtney's friendship was a close second. Courtney may have gone through some major changes in the story, but she's still going to have some major imperfections, and she needed friends that would accept that. DJ is one of the few characters that I feel would be able to befriend Courtney and not immediately write her off as a bad person because of these flaws. They started the game the same way they ended it; supporting each other.****

 **•** ** **Lightning and Sky: Since I didn't have them be helpers, I hope that you all enjoyed my alternative of having Sky and Lightning (along with Jo and Brick) settle their bet through the obstacle course. I think this was a better way for them to end their storyline. Their love of competition is what drew them to each other, so naturally it would be the way their story gets wrapped up. Not to mention that their interactions with Jo and Brick are never going to get old for me, so it's nice that I was able to end the story with them all together again. Also, Sky and Lightning do admit that they love each other in a roundabout way. Personally, I think it's still a little too soon for them to say it. They've only known each other for a few months in this universe, whereas the couples that have said I love you (Shawn & Jasmine and Jo & Brick), have known each other for years. Of the two, I think Lightning would definitely be the one that's more open about his feelings, considering he doesn't have much of a filter. As for Sky, I think she'd still be hesitant to jump all in at this point with her feelings, which is why I wrote her 'confession' as such. They definitely love each other- the feelings are there, but they're taking their time with it. Now that the competition is done, they finally have time to just relax and enjoy each other's company. I wanted their relationship to be heartwarming yet healthy and realistic, so I hope you agree with the route I took.****

 **•** ** **Jasmine: Jasmine is one of my favorite Total Drama contestants, and it's been an absolute pleasure to write her in this story. I loved her more subtle development, from her kooky antics with DJ to her more serious gameplay. As much as I love Jasmine and Shawn as a couple (they're my favorite canon TD couple), I wanted to give some attention to her character outside of that relationship. And while I could go on about all the reasons I love her, the truth of the matter is that Jasmine just didn't need to go through the same changes that characters like Courtney and Lightning did. She already had the likability, the athletic prowess, and a healthy love of competition. She's a great character and totally deserves to be a finalist, but her winning this season just doesn't have the same emotional impact that Courtney's does. I'm still incredibly happy with this Final Two; but as much as Jasmine deserved the win, I think Courtney deserved it just that much more.****

 ** **Courtney: Was there really any other way to end this? (Just kidding, I know I've thrown you guys several emotional curve balls throughout this story, so I understand the worry.) But in all honesty, this story was always written with Courtney in mind as the winner. As much as I adore Jasmine, this story is, more than anything else, the redemption arc for Courtney that we didn't get to see in canon. As several reviewers commented, Courtney's just been though so much this season, and I'm happy that most people felt that her development progressed in a natural way. I mean, we got: her frenemy arc with Scarlett, her truce with Duncan and Scott, the TDI alliance, and all of her friendships that she maintained throughout the story. While I always loved this character, I feel like things just got worse and worse for her in canon, and I wanted to give her a chance to overcome her past mistakes. She didn't win this season just because I think it's long overdue. She won it because she learned from her past mistakes and finally earned her happy ending.****

 ** **Thank you all again for you unwavering support throughout this story, it truly means the world to me. I might do an epilogue chapter, so you very well may be hearing from me again soon. As for future TD fics... we shall see. This story took a lot out of me, but I must say the end result made it all worth it.****

 ** **Thank you all again, and stay beautiful!****  
 ** **~VintageMadame****

* * *

 ** **Eliminated: Harold, Topher, Anne Maria, Justin, Shawn, Brick, Jo, Cameron, Leonard, Eva, Lindsay, B (RETURNED), Dawn (RETURNED), Scarlett, Leshawna, Sky, B, DJ, Lightning, Sugar, Dawn****

 ** **Runner Up: Jasmine****  
 ** **Winner: Courtney****


End file.
